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>"t"A^«^- - .■

7;

J ;

'I

THE

t

I

'••1 , .<

HISTORY

OF THE

OLD SOUTH CHURCH IS BOSTOJ!r,

IN FOUR SERMONS,

OCLIYCRCO MAT 9, & 16, 1830,

BEING THE FIRST AND SECOND SABBATHS

AFTER THE

(Somiiletfotf o{ a ®fnttttfi

FROM THE

FIRST OCCUPANCY OF THE PRESENT MEETING HOUSE.

BY BENJAMIN B. WISNER,

PABTOB or THE CHUBCH.

BOSTON:

CROCKER & BREWSTER, 47, IVA8HIN6T0N STREET.

1830.

< I

-)!Sl.7s;:'

/1marvard\

UNIVERSITY)
LiBP.ARY

Boston, May 17, 1830.

Dear Sir« — The undersigned have been appointed a committee of the Old South Church
and (Congregation, to exprects to you the great interest and satisfaction derived from hearing
your sermons on tlie History of that Clmrch; and they are directed to communicate U* you
the requei^t tliat you will prepare and furuish a copy of the sermons for publication, as soon
as your convenience will permit.

In the hope that you will be pleased to comply with this request, and that thus may be
extended to others the information and instruction imparted to us, we remain^
With respect aud afiectiou, your friends and brethren,

SAM. T. ARMSTRONG,
SAMUEL DAVIS,

PLINY CUTLER, > ComjnUtee,

niiLA HUNTING,
THOMAS V06E,
Rbt. B. B. WuRsa.

SERMON L

Haggai ii, 3.

WHO 18 LEFT AMONG YOU THAT SAW THIS HOUSE IN HER FIRST GLORY?

The sabbaths of a century have been numbered, since the House
in which we are assembled was first occupied for public worship.
Religious services were attended in it for the first time on the
26th of April 1730; a century fi:om which date, allowing for
the difference of style,* (1) was completed on the 7th of the
presen^. month.

Few are left among us who saw this House in its first glory .^
The edifice which preceded it as the place of religious worship
of this society, was removed before any of its present members
were born. Since the formation of this church, five generations
have passed away. We must recur to the records left us by
our fathers to learn, the history of the erection of this vener-
able edifice, the circumstances of the origin of this church,
and the dealings of God with this religious society during the
hundred and sixty years of its existence. Such a retrospect will,
doubtless, be interestmg to this congregation; it will be conform-
able to the general custom in the New England churches on
occasions like the present, and it may be useful to us and our
children.

The church now called the Old South Church in Boston,
was the third Congregational church gathered in this town."

(a) The figures in Parentbeais refer to the notes at the end of the sermons.

(b) Some are still living vvho recollect its appearance before the changes made in 1T75
and 1783, to be hereafter described.

(c) The First Baptist was the third church established in Boston: it was constituted May
98, 1665. Fee Historical Sketch of the First Baptist Church in Boston, in two discourses by
the Rev. James M. WinclMll.

4

Like too many other churches of Christ, it originated in bitter
contentions among those who are bound, by their profession, as
well as by the precept of heaven, to maintain the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace. The contentions referred to were
not local, or of sudden production; but originated in the first
ecclesiastical institutions of the country, and were spread
through the whole of New England.

Our Puritan ancestors were, as a body, men of rare excel-
lencies, of whom the world was not wordiy. In their views of
civil and religious liberty, they were far in advance of their age.
But they had not discovered that radical principle of fi-ee institu-
tions, the separation of church and state. These were as really,
though in a radically different form, united in their early insti-
tutions, as in those from the tyrannical application of which they
had fled in the mother country. (2) This was a material error;
and led, in the very beginning, to the adoption of various regu-
lations of pernicious tendency. Among diese the most promi-
nent WBS, "an order," made in 1631, at the second General
Court held after the commencement of the colony of Massa-
chusetts Bay, "that, for the time to come, none should be ad-
mitted to the freedom of the body politic, but such as were
church members." And the tenure of the church membership,
and of the enjoyment of any church privilege, was, at that time,
that of the New Testament, viz. satisfactory evidence of regen-
eration.^ "This most extraordinary law," says Hutchinson,
was in fact "continued in force until the dissolution of the"
charter "government;" though it was "repealed in appearance
after the restoration of king Charles the second."® It occasion-
ed discontent from the beginning; for there were, from the
first settlement, a considerable number of persons not
church members; who were, of course, excluded from aU
civil offices, and from having any voice in elections, and
yet were subject to taxation and the various burdens of
public service. (3) The number of these gradually increas-
ed, partly by emigration, but chiefly by the growing up of chil-
dren of die first setders who did not become church members.
They soon began to complain of their unjust burdens and re-

(d) Tlmt this is the tenure inescribed by the Scriptures see proved in President Edwards'
Inquiry concerning the qualifications requisite to Full Communion: Worlis, Vd. 4, New
York, 1830. The position Edwards attempted to establish in this Inquiry was, "That
iioiie ought to he admittfid to the communion and privileges of members of the visible church
of Christ in complete standing, but such as are, in profession and in the eye of the church's
Christian Judgment, godly or gracious persons.'* The Rev. Messrs. Thomas Prince, John
Webb, Thomas Foxcroil, and Mather Byles, then ministers of Boston, in a preface
to the Inquiry say, "The doctrine here maintained by our dear and reverend brother was
brought over hither by the pious and judicious fathers of this country from the Puritans
in England, and held by them and their successors in our churches above three score
years without dissention."

(e) Hutchinson's History of Massachusetts, i. 26. Boston, 1764. After the repeal
in 1664, **the minister was to certify that the candidates for freedom were of orthodox prin-
ciples and of good lives and conversations." This requirement rendered the repeal rather
in appearance tlian a reality.

strictions. By a portion of them it was also felt to be a griev-
ance, that they were denied access to the Lord's Supper and
baptism for their children, which privileges they had enjoyed in
the established and less scriptural churches of Europe.

At length, in 1646, the subjects of these restrictions, through-
out the colony, made a vigorous effort to obtain relief/ They
petitioned the General Court, "that civil liberty and freedom
might be forthwith granted to all truly English; and that aU
members of the Church of England or Scotland, not scanda-
lous, might be admitted to the privileges of the churches of
New England; or, if these civil and religious liberties were re-
fused, that they might be freed from the heavy taxes imposed
upon them, and from the impresses made of them or their chil-
dren or servants in war:" adding, that, "if they failed of redress
here, they should be under the necessity of making application
to England, to the honorable houses of Parliament; who, they
hoped, would take their sad condition into consideration." "The
Court, and great part of the country, were much offended at
this petition." The request was refused. The papers of those
who had made it were seized, including the memorial they had
prepared to send to England; and, upon their refusing to ac-
knowledge their offence in using," as was alleged, "contemptuous
and seditious expressions" in their petition, they "were fined,
some in larger, some in lesser sums, two or three of the magis-
trates dissenting." s

The aggrieved now took a different method to obtain redress;
— or rather, new zeal for obtaining it was now applied in a
direction in which an influence had been secretly working in
their favor for some time. An opinion began to prevail, that
all baptized persons, not scandalous in life and formally excom-
municated, ought to be considered members of the church, in
all respects except the right of partaking of the Lord's Supper,
for which evidence of regeneration was still generally held to
be a requisite qualification. (4) The proposd of so great an
innovation on the principles and practices of the first setders,
as would be expected, was met by a decided opposition; and
a contest arose, which occasioned great agitation in all the New
England colonies, especially in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
At length, in 1657, the Court of Massachusetts advised to a
general Council; and sent letters to the other Courts signifying
their opinion. The General Court of Connecticut acceded to
the proposal, and appointed four delegates to the proposed Coun-
cil.** These, with delegates from Massachusetts, convened at

(f) Thoee similarly situated in the Plymouth colony made a lilce effort at the same time.

(g) See Hutchinson's History, i. 145 — 149.

(h) The New Haven colony formally refused, and remonstrated against the proposed
Council.

Boston, in June, 1657. The questions submitted to this Coun-
cil were seventeen in number,* most of them relating to baptism
and church membership. On this subject their determination
was, in substance, that all baptized persons ought to be con-
sidered members of the church, under its discipline; and to be
admitted to all its privileges, except a participation of the com-
munion. (5)

"The decisions of this Council," it is stated in the history of
these proceedings, "do not appear to have had any influence to
reconcile, but rather to inflame the churches. A number of
ministers, and the churches pretty generally, viewed" their de-
termination "as a great innovation, and entirely inconsistent
with the prmciples on which the churches of New England were
originally founded, and with the principles of Congregationalism."

In 1662, another and more efficient efibrt was made to put an
end to these difficulties. "The General Court of Massachusetts
appointed a Synod of all the ministers of that colony, to delib-
erate and decide on" two questions; of which the most deeply
interesting was, " Who are the subjects of haptismT^ ^ This Synod
met at Boston, in September, 1662. Though its members were
all of Massachusetts, their proceedings affected the other colonies.

Their answer to the question concernmg baptism, which, as
they viewed it, involved that of church membership, "was sub-
stantially the same with that given by the Council in 1^57." (6)
They "were not unanimous, however: several learned and pious
men protested against their determination relative to baptism.
The Rev. Charles Chauncey president of Harvard College, Mr.
Increase Mather "of Boston," Mr. Mather, of Northampton, and
others, were warmly in the opposition." President Chauncey
and Mr. Increase Mather published against the decision of the
Synod, * and so did the Rev. John Davenport, then minister of
New Haven, whom the author of the Magnalia styles "the
greatest of the anti synodists." ™

Nor could the churches agree in their practice; some being
for receiving the determinations of the Synod, and others for re-
jecting them. There were great divisions and contentions in the
church of Boston upon this head. The major part was for the
Sjmod, and proceeded "to practice upon its recommendations:

(i) The questions jN*M>o«e<2 were seventeen; others were discussed, making the whole
number twenty -one. The answers were afterwards printed in London, under the title of
A Disputation concerning church members and their children.

(k) This, the author of the Magnalia, says, was "the grand question." The other was,
**Whether, according to the word of God, there ought to be a consociation of churches?''
The Synoa's answer to this question was in the affirmative. The consociation of churches
was adopted in Connecticut in 1708, but was never adopted in Massachusetts.

(1) Increase Mather afterwards changed bis opinion, and published two treatises in fo-
▼or of the result of the Synod.

(m) Book 5, p. 82. Respecting the agitations and proceedings in relation to baptism and
church membership, consult Trumbull's Hist, of Connecticut, i. 297—313. Hutchinson's
Hist, of Massachusetts, i. 223, 224. Mather's Magnalia, Book 5. Part 3.

but a considerable number of the brethren were dissatisfied.*' ^
The minority were, however, restrained from any steps leading
to a division, by the influence of their pastor, die Rev. John
Wilson, who had been a member of the Synod, and acted
with the majority. This venerated man died in 1667; and the
church of Boston was left vacant for the first time.

"On the death of Mr. Wilson," says the historian of the First
Church, "the church seem to have had no idea of supplying his

f)lace by a young man, or a man who had not been educated in Eng-
and." ** The only person at that time in the country in whom were
united the qualifications they desired in a pastor, was Mr. Daven-
port of New Haven, then seventy years oi age.P It was proposed
to extend to him a call. This proposal, no doubt originated with
those who were dissatisfied with the resolutions of the late Sy-
nod, and the consequent proceedings of the church. As was to
have been expected, it met with a warm opposition. To setde
Mr. Davenport, it was urged, would be virtually to declare
against the decisions of the Synod, and reverse the consequent
proceedings of the church. (7) The result however, was, that,
the party which had been the minority in relation to the question
about the Synod, became the majority; ^ and on the 24th of Sep-
tember, 1667, "the major part of the church by far," voted a call
to Mr. Davenport, and appointed a committee to convey letters
to him and to his church."^ Mr. Davenport thought it his duty
to accept this call, and soon removed to Boston.

The church in New Haven were extremely reluctant to part
with their beloved pastor; and replied to the letter sent them that
'they saw no cause, nor call of God, to resign their reverend pas-
tor to the church in Boston, by an inmiediate act of theirs, there-
fore, not by a formal dismission under their hands; yet, as he
could not be persuaded to remain with them, they would not fur-
ther oppose his removal.' This reply furnished additional oc-
casion for dissatisfaction on the part of the opposition in the Bos-
ton church. The ruling elder communicated to the church only
a part of tlie letter; that part, doubtless, which seemed most fa-
vorable to Mr. Davenport's removal. This was complained of
as disingenuous; and the part communicated, it was contended,
was not a regular dismission. All objections were, however,
overnded by the majority; and Mr. Davenport was installed pas-
tor over the Boston church. (8)

(n) Neale's History uf New England, i. 354, 355.

(o) P. 110.

f p) He was among the most eminent of the first ministers of New England.

(q) Cotton Mather says. The <'church, for the supply of the vacancy upon the death of
their former more synodical ministers, applying themselves unto Mr. John Davenport,
the greatest of the antisynodists, the interests of the synod came to be laid aside therein
00 that occasion.'^

(r) Records of the First Church, p. 31.

8

The dissatisfied brethr^d, to the number of twenty eight, with
one member of the church in Charlestown,* in all twenty-nine,
including some of the most respectable persons in the colony,
now proceeded to take measures to form themselves into a new
church. With this view they made application for a dismission
fi*om the old church; which was refused. (9) They next called
'*a Council of other churches in the neighborhood;" ' in conform-
ity with whose advice they proceeded, at two meetings held at
Charlestown on the 12th, and 16th of May,^ 1669, to organ-''
ize diemselves into a distinct church, under the denomination of
"the Third Church in Boston;" adopting a covenant which, be-
sides what is usual in such mstruments, contamed the following
clause, which the subsequent history of the church has rendered
worthy of particular notice, "And for the fiurtherance of this
blessed fellowship with Grod in Christ and one with another —
we do likewise promise to endeavor to establish among ourselves,
and convey down to our posterity, all the holy truths and ordi-
nances of the Gospel, committed to the churches, in faith and
observance, opposing to the utmost of our church power whatso-
ever is diverse therefi*om or contrary thereunto." (10)

About the same time seventeen ministers, (probably those who
had composed the Council, which sanctioned thj& formation of the
new church) publicly testified their disapprobation of the con-
duct of the majority of the old church. ^ To this testimony
the old church published a reply. And a flame was kindled
which spread through the colony. The dispute between the
two churches ran "so high, that there was imprisoning of par-
ties, and great disturbances." ^ "Two parties," says Hutchin-
son,* "were produced, not in the other churches only, but in the
state also." And "the whole people of God throughout the col-
ony," says the author of the Magnalia ^ "were too much distin-
gui^ed mto such as favored the old church, and such as favored

(■) This was the Rev. Thomas Thatcher, whose dismission from the church in Chailes-
town is preserved among the papers of the Old South Church, is dated "13,10. 69" i. e.
13th neceniber 1669

(t) Magnalia, Book 5, p. 89. The ^'lesser part" of the First Church, "careftiUy and
exactly following the advice of Councils fetched from other churches in the neighborhood,
set up another church." This may imply that they had the advice and assistance of more
than one council.

(n) Being the 32d and 26th of May, N. S.

(v) Hutchmson (i. 270) gives the names of these ministers as follows. "John Allin, John
Hisginson, John Ward, John Wilson, Edmund Bowne, Samuel Whiting senr. , Thomas
Coroet, John Sherman, Samuel Phillips, Thomas Shepard, Increase Mather, Samuel Tor-
rey, Zechary Symmes, John Brocke, Edward Bulkley, Samuel Whiting, junior, John
Hale:"— 'Several of them among the most eminent ministers then in the colony, as will be
seen by consulting Eliot's or Allen's Biographical Dictionary, or Farmer's Genealogical
Register.

(w) Letter from Edward Randolph to the Bishop of London, dated Boston May 29, 1662.
**There was a great difference between the old church and the members of the new church
about baptism and their members joining in full communion with either church. This was
so high that there was imprisoning of parties and great disturbances.*' Hutchinson^ Col-
lection of original papers &c. p. 532. The imprisoning was, probably, of the members of
the new church, for not attenaing the authorized worship ana setting up a church assembly
without permission from the magistrates.

(x)i.270.

(y) Book 5, p. 83.

9

the new church; whereof the former were against the
SYNOD, AND THE LATTER WERE FOR IT." This last Statement
furnishes the explanation of these surprismg results of a division in
a single church. The circumstances of the case were such, that this
division involved the then all-absorbing question in relation to
baptism and church membership. The triumph of the new
church would be the triumph of the friends of the decisions of
the late Synod, and the triumph of the old church would be the
triumph of the opposers of those decisions. In this question
the people throughout the colony were deeply interested; and
consequently, felt a lively interest, and as they had opportunity
took a part, in the dispute between the old and the new churches.

The new church, soon after their organization, proceeded to
take measures for the erection of a Meeting House. The Gov-
ernor, Mr. Billingham, who was a member of the First Church
and "warmly engaged in opposition to the seceders," called to-
gether the Council of the colony, "fearing, as he says in the
order, *a sudden tumult, some persons attempting to set up an
edifice for public worship, which was apprehended by authority
to be detrimental to the public peace.' The Council thought
best not to interpose; and, if any had offended against the laws,
they advised to proceed against them in a due course of law."
"They" also "judged it meet to declare, 'that it was the duty
of those who were about to erect a new Meeting House, to
observe the laws and orders of the General Court for regulat-
ing prudential affairs; and if they did not, they should have no
countenance of authority in their proceedmgs.' " The members
of the new church, accordingly, applied, to the selectmen of the
town; who voted, on the 26th of July 1669, "that 'there is need
of another Meeting House to be erected in this town;' though
they judged it not to belong to them to determine the placing
of it."

The public ferment still continuing, "the House of Deputies"
took up the subject; and "espoused the cause of the First
Church." "At die session in May 1670," they "appointed a
committee, to inquire into the prevailing evils which had been
the cause of the displeasure of God against the land." Thb
committee brought m a report, containing general statements of
'innovation in doctrine and worship, opinion and practice, inva-
sion of the rights, liberties and privileges of the churches, usur-
pation of lordly power over our God's heritage, and subversion of
Gospel order;' — all well understood to be aimed at the new
church and the ministers consenting to its organization: and con-
cluding with a distinct "notice of the late transaction of churches
and elders in constituting the Third Church in Boston, as irreg-
ular, illegal and disorderly." The House adopted the report.
This proceeding increased tht public agitation. The election for
2

10

the next General Court turned chiefly, throughout tlie colony,
upon the question of old church and new church; and "most
oi the deputies who had censured the brethren of the Third
Church, were left out, and new members chosen" of opposite
sentiments. * At the next session of the Court, several of the
ministers presented a petition, complaining of the proceedings of
the former Court in relation to themselves and the Third Church,
and desiring redress. The Court took this petition into imme-
diate consideration; and determined it to be "their duty to de-
clare, that several expressions in the votes referred to in the pe-
tition appeared exceptionable;" and "ordered that all papers re-
ferring to the case should be accounted useless, and not be im-
proved against the reverend elders as having been the cause of
Grod's displeasure against the country. And, whereas many had
taken upon them to publish the secrets of the Court in that case,
the Court further declared, that they knew no just cause of those
scandalizing reflections indefinitely cast- upon magistrates, elders
and churches, either in reference to the new church in Boston or
otherwise; and therefore, until they were further informed, they
judged them to be innocent, calumniated and misrepresented." ^

Thus the new church, and its friends through the colony,
achieved a public and final triumph: a triumph, to be regretted,
as involving the consummation of a wide and pernicious depart-
ure from the primitive (Jospel discipline of the New England
churches; to be rejoiced in, as confirming the rights of fi*eemen
to many who had been unjustly deprived of them, and laying the
foundation of all the good to be effected, in the hands of provi-
dence, by this church.

Having, as has been mentioned, obtained the sanction of the
selectmen of the town, the brethren of the Third Church pro-
ceeded to erect a Meetmg House, on the spot occupied by the
present edifice. The land had been previously given by Mad-
am Norton, one of the seceders from the old church, wido\^ of
the Rev. John Norton, who had deceased about three years be-
fore, having been for many years one of the ministers of the
First Church. The House was built of cedar, ^ with a steeple,
galleries, square pews, and the pulpit in the side as in the present
building. From the location, the church and their Meeting
House early received the name of the South Church; which
was the conmion tide till 1717, when a church was gathered

(a) Historical Collections, First Series, vol. JO, p. 345. Note. Hutchinson saystbat of
<*fiily members who composed the House of Deputies this year, twenty only were of the
House the year before." And several of these had, doubtless, opposed the proceedings of
the former Court.

(b) The preceding account of the formation of the Third Church and the public agitations
which ensued, is compiled from Hutchioson^s History, i. 370—375, Matlier's ftlagnalia, Boole
6, pp. t$3,83, and Snow's History of Boston, first edition, pp. 153, 154: from which the quu-
tations are made, except where other authorities are referred to.

(c) 1 Mass. Histor. CoUectionf^, iv. 311.

and located in Summer Street,^ and took the name of the New
South, since which this church and its Meeting House have
been denominated the Old South Church. (11)

The Rev. Thomas Thatcher was chosen the first pastor,
Edward Raynsford the first ruling elder, and Peter Bracket and
Jacob Eliot the first deacons. (12) The dates of these elections
is not preserved. Mr. Thatcher was installed February 16,
1669. The First Church was invited to assist at the solemni-
ties, but refused. (13)

In the preceding April the wives of the brethren united in the
Third Church, had communed with their husbands. On the
same day, they addressed a letter to the old church, stating the
fact, desiring tiiat it might be candidly interpreted, and request-
ing to be released from their covenant engagement with them for
the purpose of being. united with the new church. (14) This re-
quest was refused; and the refusal accompanied with a declara-
tion, that the old church could not have communion with such of
their members as had or should communicate with the withdrawn
brethren. (15) In August, 1670, a formal proposal of accommo-
dation was made by the new church to the old; but without suc-
cess. (16) In August, 1674, the females who had seceded fi*om
the old church, being still denied a dismission and declared to have
forfeited their covenant privileges, made a written application to
be received into the new church. (17) The new church called
a Council to advise them in reference to this application. Th6
Council recommended that the application be granted; which
was done on the 16th of October, 1674; and thus twenty three
members were, at one time, added to the church. (18)

The new church flourished rapidly, and soon became, in the
language of the early historians of New England, "one of
the most considerable in the country."® 'iVlr. Thatcher
continued sole pastor more than eight years, till a few months
before hb death. (19) This gentleman was bom May 1, 1620,
at Salisbury, in England, where his father was minister. He
gave decisive evidence of piety in childhood. Having received
a good grammar school education, his father offered to send him
to either of the English universities. But he conscientiously de-
clined the proposal, on account of the religious subscriptions re-
Juired at those institutions; and chose to emigrate to America.
le arrived at Boston June 4, 1635. He spent several years in
the family and under the tuition of the Rev. Charles Chauncey,
then minister of Scituate, afterwards president of Harvard col-

(d) The first meeting on the subject of establishing this society was held July 14, 1715:
their first Meeting House was dedicated Jan. 8, 1717. Snow's History of Boston, p. 313.

(e) Magnalia, Book 5. p. 82. Neal, in his History of New England, published in 1719.
says, i. 355, rererring tn the Thiid Church, it ^has since proved one of the most flourishing
of the whole dountry."

12

lege. By the assistance of this indefatigable scholar and his
own intense application, Mr. Thatcher became distinguished, not
only in the common academical studies, but also in Hebrew,
Syriac and Arabic, in the first of which languages he composed a
lexicon. He was well skilled, we are told, in the arts, especially
in logic; and understood mechanics, both in theory and prac-
tice. As was not uncommon at that period, he studied two pro-
fessions, medicine and theology, in both of which he obtained a
high reputation. In the former profession, he has the honor of
having been the. author of the first medical tract ever published
in Massachusetts.^ He 'first setded in the ministry at Weymouth,
in 1644; where he continued, with great acceptance, more than
twenty years. In 1664, from a "concurrence," says the au-
thor of the Magnalia, "of many obliging circumstances," which
are not stated, he was dismissed from the church in Weymouth,
and removed to Boston; where he preached occasionally, but
was chiefly employed in practising as a physician, till he was
chosen pastor of the Third Church in 1669.

As a Christian and a minister he was greatly and deservedly
esteemed. He was among the most popular preachers in the
colony. His sermons, of which one only is known to have been
published, ^ are said to have been "elaborate and affectionate."
He not only preached twice on the Sabbath, but maintained lec-
tures on other days of the week; and was diligent in instructing
the children and youth of his charge.** But the "excellency,"
we are told, "that shined above the other glories of his ministry,
was that excellent spirit of prayer which continually breathed in
him," having "an eminency above most men living for his copi-
ous, his fluent, his feryent manner of performing that sacred ex-
ercise." His abundant labors in the ministry were crowned
with signal success; as was evinced by "the great growth of the
church" in Weymouth while under his oversight, and by the in-
crease, while he continued the pastor of this church, of die num-
ber admitted to its communion to two hundred and seventeen. He
preached his last sermon fpr Mr. Increase Mather, fi-om 1 Peter
IV, 18. "Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ;" immediately after, visited a sick person;
was himself seized with a fever; and expired October 15,
1678, aged 58. (20.)

As has been abready mtimated, a colleague had been setded
with Mr. Thatcher a few months before his death. This was
the Rev. Samuel Willard, one of the most eminent of the

(f) "A Brief Guide to the common people in the Small pox and Measles:'' published
in 1677. ^

(m) a fiist sermon in 1674. There are copious notes of many of hia sermons, taken by Mr.
John Hu)l, and preserved in manuscript volumes in the Old South library.

|[h) He prepared and printed a catechism for children.

f

* 13

mmisters that have adorned the New England churches. He
was a native of the colony, of honorable descent; and graduated
at Harvard College in 1659. He was first settled in the min*
istry at Groton, where he continued above twelve years; when,
that place being destroyed by the Indians, and his flock scatter-
ed, in 1676, he removed to Boston; and, on the 10th of April,
1678, was settled as colleague pastor of this church. After
the death of Mr. Thatcher, in the foDowing October, he contin-
ued sole pastor about two years, when an assistant was ordained.
Mr. Willard was chosen vice-president of Harvard College in
1701; and firom the death of president Mather in that year, dis-
charged the duties of the presidency, with high reputation, till a
little before his decease in 1707, still continuing his ministerial
labors in Boston.

His powers of mind were of a superior order. He had a co-
pious fancy, and a quick and accurate perception; and in argu-
ment, was profound and clear. His piety was consistent, devot-
ed, self-denying and confiding. His learnmg was extensive and
solid; especially in theology, which was his favorite study, and
for his proficiency in which he was greatly celebrated. "His
discourses," says his colleague, in his ftmeral sermon, "were all
elaborate, acute and judicious; the matter being always weighty,
and his subjects well chosen, suited to the state of his flock, and
every way adapted to make them wiser and better. His com-
mon discourses might have been pronounced with applause before
an assembly of the greatest divines." "His style was masculine,
not perplexed, but easy as well as strong." His delivery was
characterized by "gravity, courage, zeal and prudence, and with
tender solicitude for perishing souls. And, when the matter
required it, no man could speak with greater pathos and pun-
gency." "He knew how to be a son of thunder to the secure
and hardened, and a son of consolation to the contrite and
broken in spirit." "His public prayers were always pertinent
and pathetical, animated with a spirit of devotion, and" charac-
terized by "an unconmion compass of thought." As a pastor,
he was distinguished for "prudence, faithfulness and impartial-
ity." "All his talents and acquisitions were consecrated" to the
service of Christ, and over the whole, it is said, was shed the
lustre of a "remarkable and unaffected modesty," and a "spirit
truly pacific." He was ardently attached to the works of the
ministry, and unusually diligent in performing its various duties.
Besides the public services of the Sabbath, he maintained other
exercises for the religious improvement of his people, among
which was particularly distinguished a course of expository lec-
tures on the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, first delivered in
a compendious and familiar form to the children of his congre-
gation, and afterwards enlarged into elaborate discourses to the

14 <

number of two hundred and fifty, which he delivered monthly
on Tuesdays in the afternoon, in his public congregation, com-
mencing January 31, 1687, 8. These lectures, it is stated,
were "heard with a great relish by many of the most knowing
and judicious persons both firom town and coDege." After the
author's decease, they were published in a volume of 914 pages; "
which was the first body of divmity, and the first folio, ever print-
ed in this country.* In controversy, Mr. Willard was regarded
as "a champion, defending the cause of truth with courage, and
with enlightened and affectionate zeal." In the strange pro-
ceedmgs in relation to witchcraft in 1692, though three of the
judges who condemned the persons executed for that crime
were members of his church, and to express doubts of the guilt
of the accused, was to expose one's seff to accusation and con-
demnation, he had the courage to express his decided disap-
probation of the measures pursued, to use his influence to arrest
them, and to aid some who were imprisoned awaiting their trial,
to escape fi:om the colony. And he had the satisfaction soon
to see a stop put to those unhappy proceedings, and the judicious
part of the community come over to his opmion.

As will be inferred firom the statements already made, Mr.
Willard possessed great influence and popularity. "He was
called upon on all great occasions to deliver his sentiments firom
the pulpit." His publications were numerous; more numerous,
it is said, than those of any other "divine in this country, except
Cotton Mather; and they were all calculated to do honor to the
author, and edify pious people." "He took leave of his be-
loved flock "at the table of the Lord;" and died suddenly Sep-
tember 12, 1707, aged 67. (21)

In addition to the occurrences during the ministry of Mr. Wil-
lard already adverted to, the followmg are worthy of notice.

In 1679 was held, what has been commonly called, "the Re-
forming Synod." Various causes, — ^among which the most prom-
inent were great worldly prosperity ,J and (most influential of
all) the nungling of politics and religion firom the beginning, and
the consequent relaxing of divine institutions and "prostituting of
the mysteries of our holy religion to mere secular views and ad-
vantages," ^ had been producing a gradual and continually more
rapid declme of religion in the country. It began to be distmct-
ly noticed in 1660. It mcreased more and more till 1670;

(i) Two hundred and twenty of these discourses were delivered as described. Two hun-
dred and foriy-six were written oijt in full before his death, to the end of the 100th dues-
tion of the Catechism, whicli contains the explanation of the Preface to the Lord's prayer.
The rest of the volume is composed of the notes used in his former and shorter expositions.

(j) Hutchinson snys, under the date 1669, "The colony, about this time made a greater
figure than it ever did at any other time. Their trade was as extensive as they could wish.
8ome of the magistrates and principal merchants grew very rich, and a spirit of industry
and economy prevailed throughout the colony," i. 209.

(k) Hutchinson i, 431.

16

"when," says one of die most accurate of our historians,* "it
grew very visible and threatening, and was generally complained
of and bewailed bitterly by the pious" among the ministers and
people. And from the statements that have come down to us,
it is evident that there was ample cause of complaint and lamen-
tation. At length the displeasure of God, it was thought, began
to be clearly indicated in his natural providence. Consuming
disasters befel the labors of the husbandman; losses at sea were
uncommonly numerous; desolating fires wasted the chief seats
of trade; a dreadful pestilence raged through the colony; and in
the political horizon a cloud was gathering of most portentous
aspect.™

These circumstances led the General Court, in May 1679, to
call upon the churches to send elders and other messengers to
meet in a Synod, for the solepm discussion of these two questions,
What are the provoking evUsofJVew England? and What is to
be done^ that so those evils may be reformed'^ " The original notice
to this church, from the secretary of the General Court, to send
a delegation to this Synod, is preserved. (22) The proposal was
received and acted upon by the churches with becoming solemnity.
"A general fast was first kept, that the gracious presence and
Spkit of God might be obtained for the direction of the approach-
ing Synod." At the appointed time, September 10, 1679, a
very full representation from the churches convened at Boston.
"The assembly" commenced its duties by observing "a day of
prayer with fasting before the Lord." Two sessions were held.
"Several days were spent in discoursing upon the two grand
questions laid before them, with utmost liberty granted unto every
person to express his thoughts thereupon. A committee was
then appointed to draw up tibe mind of the assembly; which be-
ing done, it was read over once and again, and each paragraph
distinctly weighed; and then, upon mature deliberation, the
whole was unanimously voted, and presented unto the General
Court;" and by them, in an act passed October 15, 1679, "com-
mended unto the serious consideration of all the churches and
people in the jurisdiction;" the Court "enjoining and requiring
all persons, in their respective capacities, to a careful and dili-
gent reformation of all those provoking evils mentioned therein,
according to the true intent thereof, that so the anger and dis-

! Measure of (Jod, many ways manifested, may be averted and his
iavor and blessing obtained."

(1) Mr. Thomas Prinre: Christian History, i. 94, where may be seen extracts from election
sermons, &c. giving most affecting descriptions of the fearful declension.

(m) See Magnalia, Book 5, p. ^. Hutchinson i. 324. The result of Three Synods.

(n)They were also to review the Platform of Church discipline, which tliey uuanimously
approved.

'>.

16

In replymg to the first question submitted to them, the Synod
enumerated the sins which they conceived to be most prevalent
and offensive to heaven. In answer to the second question, they
recommended various measures of reformation; among which
the most prominent were, — ^more careful attention to personal
and family religion; a return to the ancient strictness in admit-
ting persons to the Lord's Supper; a faithful attention to church
discipline; and the observance by the churches of seasons of
special humiliation and prayer, accompanied with a public and
solemn renewal of covenant. "Every church" in the colony, it is
said, took "some notice of this Synod, and of the measures it
recommended for reviving the power and spirit of religion;" ° and
most of them kept days of fasting and prayer, and publicly re-
newed their covenant. This church, with great solemnity at-
tended to this service on the 29th of June 1680; publicly ac-
knowledging their sms and the sins of the people at large, bind-
ing themselves to a faithful reformation, and consecrating them-
selves and their offspring anew to the service of God. The
form of covenant used on this occasion is preserved in the
records of the church. (23)

These measures were attended with, temporary indeed, but
visible, happy results; especially the renewal of covenant.
"Very remarkable," it is testified "was the blessing of God on
the churches which did," in this respect, conform to the advice
of the Synod, "not only by a great advancement of holiness in
the people, but also by a great addition of converts to their holy
feDowship. And many thousand spectators" it is added, "will
testify, that they never saw the special presence of (Jod our
Saviour more notably discovered than in the solemnity of these
opportunities." p The additions to this church in six months, were
nearly as many as they had been in the two preceding years.

The political evils just now mentioned as impending, soon
came upon the colony, in rapid succession, and with fearful
weight. In 1676, had arrived that unrelenting enemy of the lib-
erties of New England, Edward Randolph, "whose business it
was," the people said, "to go up and down seeking to devour
them."^ In 1682, he proposed in the Council of the colony,
that ministers of the Established Church of England should be
sent over; to be maintained, in part, by diverting to this object
the money hitherto annually expended amongst the Indians, and
to have the exclusive privilege of solemnizing marriages. (24) This
proposal spread alarm among the ministers and churches, and
produced a deep conviction of the necessity of union and concert

(oj History of the First Church, p. 127.

(p) The quotations in this account of the Reforming Synod not otherwise acknowledged
are from the Magnalia. Book 5.
(q) Snow's Hist, of Boston, p. 168. Hutch, i. 319.

17

in resisting the threatened encroachments upon their liberties. The
First Church had, up till this time, a period of fourteen years,
refused all acts of ecclesiastical mtercourse and communion with
the Third Church/ At a meeting of the First Church, April 23,
1682, it was agreed to propose to the South Church, "to forgive
and forget all past offences," and live henceforth in "peace." This
proposal was cordially acceded to by the Third Church. And,
"unto the general joy of Christians in the neighborhood, both
the churches kept a solemn day togetlier; wherein, lamenting the
infirmities that had attended then* former contentions, they gave
thanks to the great Peace-Maker for effecting this joyful recon-
ciliation." *

In July 1685, the charter of the colony was abrogated. In
the following spring, Col. Joseph Dudley received a commission
to take charge of the government, under the title of President,
till a governor should be appointed. He entered in form upon
the duties of his office May 25, 1686. The next day a clergy-
man of the Church of England who had come oyer' a short time
before,* waited on the Council, and requestg^Kone of the three
Meeting Houses to preach in. This was »*^used; and he was
granted the east end of the Town-house," where the Deputies had
formerly met, until those who desired his ministry should provide
a fitter house. (26)

On the 19th, oi the following December, Sir Edmund Andros
arrived, as governor, with almost unlimited powers. He landed
on the 20th, and went to the Town-house, where his commission
was read, and the Council sworn. The ministers of the town
being present at the solemnity, he took them aside into the Li-
brary, and spoke to them about accommodation as to a Meeting
House, the times of service to be so contrived as that one House
might serve two assemblies. The next day a meeting was held
of the ministers and four of each church, to determine what an-
swer to give to the Governor; and it was agreed, that they could

(r) I have met wkh but one tmnsaction which has any appearance of an exception to this
statement. It is presented in the following extract from the records of the First Church, p.
40. **Aug. 5th, 1679. Voted by the churche, upon an order and advise of ye magialratBt
yt all ye elders of ye town might joyntiy carry on ye 5th day Lecture: In an answer to ye
motion of ye Hon'd magistrates about the Lecture; Tho as an injunction wee cannot
concarrwith it, but doehumbly hare our iritness against if ^ an apr.hending it tending to
ye infringemet of churche liberty; Yett, if ye Lord incline the hearts of the other l*eaching
officers of this town to accept of drstre of our officers j to give yr assistance with tliose of tiki«
cAwcA, who shall bee desired to carry on their fiflh day Lecture, wee are willing to accept
their help therein."— From this it would seem that the Thursday Lecture had previously
been carried on solely by the ministers of the First Church. After this the pastors of tho
Second and Third churches were, doubtless, united with them, and subsequently the mini8>
ters of other churches in the town as they were formed and had pa.««tors settled. This lec-
ture is now, and has been for many years, carried on by the members of the Boston Associa-
tion hoih in iovm and country y all of whose members since 1819 have been considered Unita-
rians.

(s) Magnalia, Book 5, p. 83. See Note (35.)

(t) Mr. Ratcliffe: he came over with Mr. Dudley in 1683, and arrived at Boston Oct. 23, in
that year. The first Episcopal society was formed here in 1685. Nutcii. i. 355, 356.

(a) It stood on the spot now occupied by the Old State House in State Street, then called
King Street.

18

not, with a good conscience, accede to his Exceflency's pro-
posal.

On the 23d, of March, the Governor sent Randolph for the
keys of the South Meeting House. The demand was not com-
plfed with; and six of the principal members of the church wait-
ed on his Excellency, and remonstrated against his occupying
the House without the consent of the proprietors. On the 25th,
the Governor sent orders to the sexton to ring the bell and open
the House. The sexton was frightened mto a compliance; and
the Meetmg House was occupied for the service for Good-Fri-
day prescribed by the Church of England. On the next Sab-
bath, the Governor and his retinue again met in the Meeting
House, having notified Mr. Willard that he might occupy it at
half past one. The members of the South congregation, accord-
ingly, assembled at that time; but were kept standing in the
street till past two. From this time the Governor, when in town,
occupied the House, at such times as he was pleased to say suit-
ed his convenience, (more than once changing the hours of
meeting on the Sabbath, to the great annoyance of Mr. Willard
and his people,) — ^probably till his deposition from the govern-
ment in 1689: when the congregation were freed from the usur-
pation, and their House of worship from the desecration, of tyran-
ny, till its new oppressions and greater profanations produced
another revolution, issuing in complete and final deliverance. (27)

The narrative will here be suspended, to be resumed in the
afternoon.

8ERM0I} IL

Psalm Ixxvii, 11, 12, 13.

I WILL REMEMBER THE WORKS OF THE LORD) SURELY I WILL REMEBIBER
THY WONDERS OP OLD. I WILL MEDITATE ALSO OP ALL THY WORK,
AND TALK OP THY DOINGS. THY WAY, O GOD, IS IN THE SANCTUARY.

In the spirit of this passage I resume the narrative commenced in
the mornmg.

Mr. Willard died September 12, 1707. The colleague al-
ready mentioned as having been setde4 some time before, and
who survived him nearly ten years, was Mr. Ebenezer Pember-
ton; a son of Mr. James Pemberton^ one of the founders of
this church, in which this son was baptized February 11, 1671.
He graduated at Harvard College iit 1691; and, continuing to
reside at Cambridge, was, after some years, chosen fellow of the
house.* He was called to the pastoral office in this church Feb-
ruary 21, 1699, and ordained August 28, 1700.

He was a man of emment talents and great acquirements, and
"had the reputation of as accomplished a preacher as this coun-
try ever produced." "He was," says an mtimate acquaintance,
well qualified to estimate his character, "a hard student firom his
childhood; and, being blessed with brightness of mind, fervor of
spirit, and strength of memory, he made wonderfiil dispatch.
He was master of logic and oratory in great perflation. The
college never had a more accomplished tutor, nor one that more
applied himself to teach and watch over the morils of it." His
piety was of a decided character; producing, habitually, "a

(a) That is, in modern language, tutor.

20

strong conviction of the reality of things mvisible and eternal,"
and "a zeal which flamed" in his Master's cause. His temper-
ament was uncommonly ardent; which, when properly regulated,
gave to his performances a peculiar energy and power; but which
sometimes proved a great infirmity, — ^his passions, when suddenly
excited, becoming impetuous and violent. Yet, "when firee from
the excitement of any unpleasant circumstances," it is said, "he
was mild and soft as one could wish." In preparing for the pul-
pit, he usually made only hints, from which he enlarged with
great readiness and propriety. His discourses were character-
ized by clearness of exhibition, and close and animated reason-
ing; they were remarkably practical, yet abounding in doctrinal
truth; often pathetic; and commonly distinguished for pungency
of application. His delivery was agreeable, and peculiarly lively
and vigorous. In prayer, he was copious and fervent. Of the
few sermons which he wrote at length, but three or four were
published by himself. An octavo volume, containing most of
these and some not before printed, was pubhshed after his death.
They are sermons of uncommon excellence, — "strong, argumen-
tative, eloquent." They are "written," says die late Dr. Elliot,
"in the best style, and would do honor to any preacher of the
present age. They are wonderful compositions for the period."

Through life, Mr. Pemberton was a diligent student, and a
laborious minister. His constitution was always feeble; and
during several of his last years, he was greatly afflicted with severe
bodily pain; but, under weakness and suffering, continued to do
much in his appropriate and loved employment. He preached
his last sermon on the 20th of January 1716, 17, fi-om Matt, xxii,
6. "But they made light of it, and went their way, one to his
farm, and another to Ms merchandize;" and died on the 13th of
February, aged 45. (28)'"'

During the ministiy of Mr. Pemberton, the church and society
were in a flourishing condition. The only event claiming par-
ticular notice in this sketch, is "the great fire" in 1711; which
consimied all Comhill firom School Street to Dock Square, and
all the upper part of King, now State Street, including the Town-
house and the Meeting House of the First Church. ^ A public
fast was soon after observed on account of this calamity, and a
collection taken in each of the churches for the sufferers. "Two
hundred and sixty odd pounds," of the currency of that period,
"were gathered at the South Church." ^ On the Sabbath after
the fire, this church unanimously voted an ofler of their Meeting
House for the mutual benefit of both congregations, the sefvices
/ to be performed half the time by the ministers of the First
Church, for which the same weekly allowance should be made

(b) Oiow'fl History of Boston, p. SIO. (c) Judge ScwalPi Journal.

21

to them by the deacons of the South Church as to their own
pastor. On the same day a similar offer was voted by the
Brattle Street Society. Both offers were accepted, — ^the mem-
bers of the scattered congregation dividing their attendance be-
tween the two Houses, and their ministers performing half the
services in each. This arrangement continued about a year,
till a new Meeting House, — ^die late Old Brick, — ^was completed
for the First Church. (29)

On the 16th of September 1713, Mr. Joseph Sewall was
settled as colleague with Mr. Pemberton; and continued a pas-
tor of this church, greatly respected and loved, till he had sur-
vived three colleagues, and nearly attained the age of 81.

Like Mr. Pemberton, he was a child of this church. His
father, — ^the Hon. Samuel Sewall, (30) many years a Judge and
several Chief Justice of the Superior Court, — ^was long a dis-
tinguished member, and his maternal grandfather, Mr. John
Hull, was among the most respected of the founders, of the
church. Mr. Joseph Sewall was bom August 15, 1688, and
graduated at Cambridge in 1707, where he also studied divinity.
He was not remarkable for talents or learning; but, in humble,
ardent and consistent piety, and devotedness to the work of the
ministry, has seldom been equalled. A disposition naturally
mild and affectionate began to be sanctified in childhood; and
evidences are preserved ^ of his diligent and faithful use of the
means of promoting growth in -grace from early youth. The
testimony concernmg him, transmitted to us from the most
audientic sources, is, that, through life, "his chief glory was the
love of Grod and zeal to do good." "He seemed to breathe the
air of heaven while here upon earth." "The observation was
often made" concerning him, that, "if he entered into company,
something serious dropped from his lips. His very presence
banished levity, and produced solemnity of mind in all who were
with him." "He delighted in the work of the ministry; and,
when he grew venerable for his age as well as his piety, he was
regarded as the father of the clergy. The rising generation
looked upon him with reverence; and all classes of people felt a
respect for his name." He had a deep and tltorough conviction
of the truth and importance of the religious principles of our
fethers; and, though of a "deliberate and cautious" disposition,
**was courageous in withstanding error. He could sacrifice
every thing for peace, but duty and truth and holiness." Hfa
sermons, of which many were published and are preserved, were
always mstructive and practical. He dwelt much on the great
doctrines of religion, but "never entered into any curious specula-
tions: his object was to impress upon people what they should

(d) In hifl private Journals.

.* .

22

believe, and how they must live, to be eternally happy." His
style was simple and plain. His delivery solemn, affectionate,
impressive. His prayers remarkably devout and fervent.
"Deeply impressed himself with the truths" he uttered, "he
reached the hearts of his hearers; and sometimes his voice was
so modulated by his feelings and elevated with zeal, as irresisti-
biy-to-seize attention" and strongly affect his auditors. He was
distinguished for affectionate attention to children and youth; and
eminently happy and usefiil in pastoral visits. He was a warm
"friend of literature, and did all m his power to promote the in-
terest ^d reputation of the college." Upon the death of presi-
dent Leverett in 1724, he was chosen to succeed him; but,
from his attachment to the ministry, and in compliance with th^
ardent wishes of his people, declined the invitation. Having in-^
herited a considerable fortune, he, for many years in succession,
made a liberal donation to the college, to be appropriated to pious
indigent students; and when the library was consumed by fire,
made a present of many valuable books. He also gave
liberally to the poor, and to various pious and charitable objects.
In short, he was emphatically, what he used, in his latter years,
to be commonly and most respectfully called, the "good Dr.
Sewall." (31)

This excellent man was left sole pastor of the church,
by the death of Mr. Pemberton, in February 1717. The
following July, Mr. Thomas Prince arrived in Boston, from
Europe; where, after completing his education here, hav-
ing graduated at Cambridge in 1707 and spent some time there
studymg theology, — he had travelled, visiting different countries,
"not as an idle spectator, but as a diligent and attentive observer
of men and things, which appeared in the knowledge and expe-
rience he had gained in his travels." While in England, he had
preached with great acceptance, and been earnestly solicited
to settle in that country; but his attachment to his native land
was too strong to permit a compliance. On his arrival here,
"he was received with peculiar marks of respect ® and with
special regard to his ministerial labors and character, several
of the churches seeking to him as a precious gift of our ascend-
ed Saviour." He first preached for his classmate and intimate
friend, Mr. Sewall, on the 25th of August 1717. September
29th he was requested to supply the pulpit half the time for two
months; and complied. December 20th, the church gave him
a call; which he accepted February 9th, and was ordained
October 1, 1718.

(e) In his journal he says, "About li ye Capt. sent his pinnace to carry me up. t landed
at ye Lone wharf, about ^ of an hour after the meetings began, and by that means escaped
the crowds of people yt came down at no<m-time to see me; for they tell me there were
above 500 came down on the wharf inquiring after me. But now the streets being dear, I
silently went up to the Old South meeting; and none there knew me, but Hr. Sewall in
the pulpit, Mr. Severy praying and preaching at that time with them."

/

23

The talents of Mr. Prince were above mediocrity; and in dilr
igent and successful study, few if any, in America have been his
equals. He made great proficiency, not only in divinity, but
also in most of the branches of natural science and polite litera-
ture cultivated at that period. In history and chronology, espe**
cially as relating to this country, his labors were prosecuted wilh
unparalleled industry and fidelity, and have imposed on posterity
great and lasting obligation. In 1703, while at college, he began a
collection of books and public and private papers relating to the
civil and religious history of New England, to which he continued
to make valuable additions for more than fifty years. He also made
a large collection of classical and theological works and books
of general hterature. All these he gave, at his decease, to the
church and congregation of which he had been minister. For
a series of years the valuable deposit was left, without care or at^-
tenticm, on shelves and in boxes and barrels, in the room under the
belfry of the Meeting House; ^ and many of the papers and books
were scattered and destroyed. At length, in 1814, at the
instance of the Massachusetts Historical Society, the remains
of the collection were examined; and the books and papers
peculiarly adapted to the purposes of that Society deposited in
its room; (32) and the rest constituting the much greater portion,
removed to the house of the pastor, and placed in cases, where
they have since remained. It is still a valuable collection, con-
taining, many standard works b ecclesiastical history, and biblical
literature and theology, and a large number of the publications
of the early divines of New England.

Another fruit of the literary labours of this indefatigable stu-
dent was A Revisal of the JVew England Version of the
Pscdms; which, though indicating no poetical genius, discovers
an accurate acquaintance with the oriental languages. This re-
visal was undertaken at the request of a committee of this soci-
ety; accepted by the church and congregation on the 9th of
October 1758; to be used in public worship on and after the
last sabbath in that month. (33)

But it is not merely for his literary acquisitions and labors
that Mr. Prince is to be remembered by us with respect and
gratitude. "That" said his colleague, in his funeral sermon,
"which set a crown upon all, was, that he feared God from his
youth, and early appeared a lover of pure religion." We have
as convincing evidence of his decided, consistent and devoted
piety, as of his extensive learning. He was, indeed, a rare
instance of diligence and fidelity in the duties of personal relig-
ion and in the work of the ministry, united with great ardor and
proficiency in secular studies. His sermons were rich in evan-
gelical truth; always prepared with care, abounding in facts and

(f) Which, the trediUon is, he occupied as a study.

24

pertinent illustration. "His discourses," it is said, "were some-
times too learned for common people;" but, if we may judge
from those which were published, he was less faulty in this re-
spect than, from the character of his mind and studies, might
have been expected. His delivery, tradition informs us, was
unhappy; his sermons being always read, with but litde anima-
tion or variety of modulation, from a small manuscript volume,
so used, on account of a defect of vision common to hard stu-
dents, as to conceal his countenance, for the most part, from his
audience. As a "pastor," his colleague has testified, he was
"tender and faithful, ready to warn them that were unruly, to
comfort the feeble-minded, and resolve the doubting believer.
As a Christian," his distinguishing "ornament" was "a meek
and quiet spirit. He was ready to forgive injuries; yea, to re-
turn good for evil. And, by the grace of God, he was enabled
to preserve a calm and pacific temper of mind under many trying
dispensations of providence. In a particular manner, when vis-
ited with heavy bereavements, he behaved with exemplary pa-
tience and submission to the will of God." (34)

Forty years were these excellent men, Sewall and Prince,
associated in the responsibilities and labors of the pastoral office
in this congregation; furnishing an example of mutual affection
and union of purpose and pursuit, to which the annals of collegi-
ate charges will be searched for a parallel, I fear, almost in vain.
The journals and other documents that have come down to us,
lay open before us the most secret history of these men; and
not a solitary instance appears of unpleasant difference of opin-
ion, or of the slightest interruption, in any form, of confidence
and affection. Is the cause of this unmterrupted and delight-
ful harmony, in a situation so peculiarly liable to beget jealousy
and contention, mquu*ed for? Something is, doubtless, due to
their remarkably amiable natural temper, and their early and
intimate friendship; still more to then* ardent piety; but most of
all to a fact which thus presents itself in the journal of the ex-
cellent Sewall. "1721,2, January 5, Mr. Prince and I prayed
together, as is usual before the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
Lord, hear our prayers!" "1722, Nov. 2, Mr. Prince and I met
together, and prayed to God for direction and assistance relating
to the fast to be kept by the church we stand related to."
"1728,9, Jan. 13. The church being to meet relating to the
af&irs of the new building, Mr. Prmce and I prayed together.
O Lord, hear; guide and govern our affairs in mercy!" A por-
tion of Friday afternoon before every communion, and a season
preceding the transaction of any important business in the church,
was habitually spent in this manner by these faithful servants of
Christ; and occasionally, they spent portions of a day, mutually
devoted to private humiliation, in united prayer. Men who live

25

together thus, will, of course, maintain the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace.

I will now advert to some of the more interesting events that
occurred during the united ministry of Prince and Sewall. On
the night of the Sabbath, October 29, 1727, the whole country
north of the Delaware river was visited with a violent shock of
an earthquake. At Boston the evening was "calm and serene."
About forty minutes past 10 o'clock, was heard, "a loud, hollow
noise, like the roarmg of a great chimney on fire, but inconceiv-
ably more fierce and terrible. In about half a minute, the
earth began to heave and tremble. The shock increasing, rose
to the height in about a minute more; when the moveables,
doors, windows, walls, especially in the upper chambers, made
a very fearful clattering, and the houses rocked and crackled,
as if they were all dissolving and falling to pieces. The peo-
ple asleep were awakened with the greatest astonishment: many
others affrighted, ran into the streets. But the shaking quickly
abated; and, in another half mmute, entirely ceased." s^ "On the
next morning, a very full assembly met at the North Church, for
the proper exercises on so extraordinaiy an occasion. At five
in the evening, a crowded concourse assembled at the Old
Church: and multitudes, unable to get in, immediately flowed
to the South, and in a few minutes filled that also. At Lieut.
Gov. Dummer's motion, who was then Commander in Chief,
the Thursday of the same week was kept as a day of extraor- '
dinary fasting and prayer, in all the churches in Boston; not ^
merely to intreat for sparing mercy, but also to implore the
grace and Spirit of God to come down and help to a sincere
repentance and turning to him. And, as the houses of public
worship were greatly crowded, the people were very attentive.
The Ministers endeavored to set in w ith this extraordinary work
of God in nature, and to preach his word in the most awakening
manner, and lead the people to a true conversion and unfeigned
faith in Christ, and guard them agamst deceiving themselves."
And, says Mr. Prince, from whom I quote this account, "in all
our congregations, many seemed to be awakened and reformed;
and, professing repentance of their sins and faith in Christ,
entered into solemn covenant with God, and came into full com-
munion with our several churches. In ours^ within eight months
after, were about eighty added to our communicants." But, he
adds, and it is painful to be compelled in fidelity to repeat,
"though I doubt not but considerable numbers were at that time
savingly converted, the goodness of many seemed as the morn-
ing cloud and the early dew, which quickly passes away," ^

(g) Preface to two germons, by Mr. Prince, occasioned by the earthquake.

(b) Account of the Revival of Religion in Boston: Chiislian History, ii. 377, 378. (S5)

4

26

The next event claiming our notice was the building of a new
Meeting House. The first edifice had now stood nearly sixty
years. In 1721, the congregation having recently received
several accessions, a number of additional pews were made, in
vacant places, in different pai-ts of the House. ^ In October
1727, the subject of enlarging the House was taken up in a
church-meeting, and a committee appointed to estimate the ex-
pense. On the recommendation of this committee, in the fol-
lowing month, two committees were appointed, "one to inquire
what encouragement may be given by the church and congre-
gation towards repairing this House, the other to inquire what
encouragement may be given towards the building of a new
Meeting House." These conmiittees reported, February 27,
1727,8; and the question was discussed, whether to repair or
build; and decided to build, by a vote of 41 to 20. The mi-
nority did not cheerfully acquiesce; and at a meeting in March,
an effort was made to have the recent vote to build rescinded;
but without success. Subscriptions were obtained slowly; re-
peated meetings were held; and little seems to have been done,
till June 1728; when it was voted to build of brick, and a com-
mittee were directed "to purchase such materials as they should
judge proper to be laid in before wmter." J January 28, 1728,9,
a letter was voted to be sent to the Old Church, in a respectiful
manner to ask the privilege of meeting twice in their House on
each Lord's day, saving on their sacrament days:" which
request was kindly granted. Friday the 28th of February
was observed as a day of fasting and prayer by the church and
congregation, "to humble themselves before God for all their
unfiuitfuhess under the means of grace enjoyed in the Meeting
House" soon to be taken down, "and to ask his presence and
blessing in the momentous affair of taking it down and building
another House." (36) The next sabbath, March 2nd, the last
sermons were preached in the old building, to "a very great
assembly." On Monday, Mr. Sewall prayed with the work-
men, and they began taking down the House; and finished its
demolition the following day. "Several of the beams and
timbers" were found so much "decayed," that it was "appre-
hended" the "crowded" assemblies on the preceding sabbath
"had a very gracious preservation." ^ The foundation for the

<i) At the same meeting at which it was resolved to build these additional pews, it was
voted to enlarge the House "sixteen feet on the north side, to make suitable accommodations
f<Mr such as want them for their families, provided a suitable and sufficient number of per-
sons appear to encourage it, and the necessary charge of repairing the Meeting House be
not increased thereby." This vote was not carried into effect.

0) Tradition says the mortir was all made the fall before it was used.

(k) Dr. Sewairs journal. He adds, "I thank thee, O thou Preserver of men. Reconcile thy
servxnts who have been opposite to this work, and let there be good agreement amongst thy

Siople in the things that are pleasing in thy sight." Among the opposers was his honored
ther, who sent in to the meeting at which it was voted to take down the old house, a
written protest, which he desired might be recorded on the church books. This was not
done, but a copy is preserved in bis letter book.

27

new edifice, it appears from the inscription on the upper stone,
at the south west corner, just above the pavement in Milk Street,
was commenced March 31, 1729.* The building was com-
pleted in April 1730. "* It was finished witli two galleries as at
present; and the pulpit in the same position as now, but larger
and higher than this, with a sounding-board projecting fi-om the
wall above the casing of the window; and with two seats direcdy
in fi-ont, one somewhat elevated for the deacons, aad one still
more elevated for the elders. On each side of the middle aisle
and nearest the pulpit, were a number of long seats for aged
people: and the rest of the floor, except the aisles and several
narrow passages, was covered with square pews. " The House
was not dedicated in the manner now practised, but was fijst
occupied on the sabbath April 26, — corresponding to May 7,
N. S. 1730. Mr. Sewall preached in the morning, from Hag-
gai ii. 9. "The glory of liiis latter House shall be greater than
the glory of the former, saith the Lord of hosts; and in this
place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts." In the after-
noon Mr. Prince preached, from Psalm v. 7. "As for me, I
will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy; and in
thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple." (37)

In a few years was remarkably fulfilled the divine promise
contained in the text of the first sermon delivered within these
walls. The Spirit of God was poured out, in a manner that
gave to this House a greater glory than had ever been given to
the former.

It would seem that under the ministry of such men as Prince
and Sewall, vital religion must have constantly flourished. But,
from the influence of causes which will not now be specified, ® it
was not so. Mr. Prince himself is our authority for this state-
ment. Upon "my return hither," says he, "in 1717, though
there were many bright examples of piety in every seat and
order, yet there was a general complaint among the pious and
elderly persons, of a great decay of godliness iu the lives and
conversations of people both in the town and land." Then he
gives an account of various extraordinary efforts made by the
ministers and churches of Boston, in the course of the next

(1) Corner stones were not laid then us is now the custom. Hence I conclude that this
date is that of the commencement of the new building. On the stone similarly situated in
the north-west corner of the building, on the west side, are inscribed the letters SSj and on
that in the north east corner, on the east side, L B 17*29.

(m) In 18SJ2, 1 visited Mr. William Homer, then ninety-five years old, who was baptized
in the first Meeting House of the Old South church, and whose father was one of the com-
mittee for building the present edifice. He told me that he 'had often heard his father say,
that while laying the foundation, erecting the walls and putting on the roof, and doing all
tlie outside work, the workmen were never hindered an hour by foul weather. The season
was not more dry than usual, but it always rained in the night.'

(n) There were stairs or passages to the galleries inside the House, in the southwest
and northwest corners; and the porch in Milk Street projected into the street about as far
again as at present: the former were removed into the west porch in 1808, and the latter was
reduced in 1813.

(o) They will be detailed in the third sermon.

28

eighteen years, to arrest this decline and promote a revival of
true religion; some of which were not wholly ineffectual, but
from all of which there were no visible and abiding general
results. P About the year 1735, there was a remarkable atten-
tion to religion in the western parts of this State, and in Con-
necticut. "But, in the mean while," says Mr. Prince, "the gen-
eral decay of piety seemed to increase among us in Boston.
And for the - congregation I preach to, though for several years
some few offered Qiemselves to our communion, yet but few
came to me in conceni about their souls before. And so I per-
ceive it was in others. And I remember some of the ministers
were wont to express themselves as greatly discouraged with the
growing declension both in principle and practice, especially
among the rising generation." But now a brighter and glorious
day was about to dawn. The ministers and other Christians
here, having, from the year 1 738, received accounts of the sur-
prising power and success with which God was pleased to attend
the preaching of the Rev. George Whitefield, invited him to
come to Boston, where he arrived the first time in September
1 740. He continued in tliis place and the neighborhood about
a month, preaching tw^ice almost every day, to immense congre-
gations, and with his usual power. (38) During this visit, ministers
and Christians were greatly stirred up to effort and prayer for
the promotion of Christ's kingdom; and "great numbers," says
Mr. Prince, "were so happily concerned about their souls, as
we had never seen any thing like it before." ^ A genuine and
powerful revival of religion had commenced; which extended
to all the congregations in the town, and continued, without any
sensible abatement, nearly two years. Assemblies on the sab-
bath, and several public lectures, with a.great number of private
meetings, during the week, were crowded with attentive, and
often deeply affected, hearers. And "scarce a sermon seemed to
be preached without some good impressions." ^ So extensive
and powerful was the influence on the minds of the people,
that above a thousand inquirers visited Mr. Webb, one of the
pastors of the New Noith Church, in tliree months; and Mr.
Cooper, mmister in Brattle Square, "was wont to say, that
more came to him, in one week, in deep concern about their
souls, than in the whole twenty-four years of his preceding
ministry. I can also say the same," adds Mr. Prince, "as to
the numbers who repaired to me." * "The very face of
the town," he continues, "seemed to be strangely altered.

(p) See his account of the Revival in Boston in 1740: Christian History, vol. ii. pp. 375

(q) Christian History, ii. 381.

fr) Do. p. 395;--the Rev. Gilbert Tennent of Philadelpliin, was here from Dec. 13, 1740
to March 2, 1740,1, and preached often, and was greatly instrumental in promoting Ihe
revival.

(8) Christian History, ii. 391.

29

Some who had not been here since the fall before, have told me
their great surprise at the change in the general look and carriage
of the people, as soon as they landed."* Tippling houses were
deserted, vicious associations broken up; and the great mass
of the community, for a time, mainly attentive to the concerns
of their souls. ** Large additions were made to all the eight
Congregational, and two Presbyterian churches then in the town,
"the greater part of whom gave" their pastors "a more exact
account of the work of the Spirit of God on their souls in
effectual calling, than" they were "wont to hear before." Nor
was the goodness of these converts like the morning cloud and
the early dew. Of those who were received to the church in
Brattie Street, Mr. Colman remarked, more than three years
after the commencement of the revival, "tlie good fruits of their
abiding profession unto this day, in a discreet, meek, virtuous,
pious conversation, give me satisfaction and pleasure in them
from day to day." ^ And Mr. Prince testified, at a still later
period, ^ "Of our numerous additions," with one exception,
the "conversation, as far as I know, is as becomes the Gospel.
Nor do I hear of any in the other churches in town, that have
fallen into censurable evil, except a few of the New North." *

In this glorious work of God, as the statements already made
have implied, this congregation largely shared. Its pastors were
among the most active promoters and able defenders of the
work. Within these walls did the voice of the apostolic White-
field fall, in demonstration of the Spirit, on the ears of thousands
of breathless hearers. Here the word spoken by other servants
of Christ, was carried to tlie conscience and the heart with a
divine power. In conformity with the custom at tliat period,
sixty "bills of the awakened," asking prayers, are stated to have
been put up here at one time. ^ And of the fruits of the blessed
and mighty influence, more than an hundred were added to diis
church; and, we hope, here trained up for heaven. (39)

We now turn to a scene of a different character, yet strikingly
illustrating the mercy and faithfiilness of our and our fathers' God.
Says the late president Dwight, when discoursing on the subject of
'answer to prayer,' * "I am bound as an inhabitant of New Eng-
land to declare, that were there no other instances to be found
in any other country, the blessings communicated to this, would
furnish ample satisfaction concerning this subject, to every sober,
much more to every pious, man. Among these, the destruction

(t) Christian History, vol. ii. p. 397.

(u) Do. p. 398.

(V) Do. p. 413.

(w) In November 1744, more than four years after the commencement of the Revival.
Christian History, vol. ii. p. 412.

(z) Several had left the churches of which they had been members and forrzed a separate
cburcfa. Mr. Prince in the place referred to speaks of other censurable evils.

(y)Do. p. 391.

(z) Theology, v. 40,41.

30

of the French armament under the Duke D^Anville, in the year
1746, ought to be remembered, with gratitude and admiration,
by every inhabitant. of this country. This fleet consisted of forty
ships of war; was destined for the destruction of JVew England;
was of sufficient force to render that destruction, in the ordinary
progress of things, certain; and sailed from Chebucto in Nova
Scotia for this purpose." In the mean time, our pious fathers,
apprised of their danger and feeling that their only safety was in
God, had appointed a season of fasting and prayer to be observ-
ed in all their churches. "While Mr. Prince was officiating" in
this Church, "on this fast day, and praying most fervently to
Grod to avert the dreaded calamity, a sudden gust of wmd arose,
(the day had till now been perfectly clear and calm,) so violent
as to cause a loud clattering of the windows. The Rev. pastor
paused in his prayer; and, looking round upon the congregation
with a countenance of hope, he again commenced, and with
great devotional ardor, supphcated the Almighty to cause that
vrind to frustrate the object of our enemies, and save the country
from conquest and popery. A tempest ensued, in which the
greater part of the French fleet was wrecked on the coast of
Nova Scotia. The Duke D'Anville the principal general, and
the second in command, both committed suicide. Many died
with disease, and thousands were consigned to a watery grave.
The small number who remained alive, returned to France with-
out health and without spirits." * And the enterprise was aban-
doned, and never again resumed. (40)

Having gathered in the spiritual harvests of 1740 — ^2,
the venerated Sewall and Prince were permitted to continue
sixteen years longer their united and affectionate labors for the
spiritual good of this congregation. In the fall of 1757, the
health of Mr. Prince began visibly to decline. "When means
used to restore it failed," we are informed in the memorial of him
left us by his colleague, "he expressed his submission to the will
of God, saying 'It is just as it should be.' When he drew
nearer to death, he seemed to endure some hard conflicts, and
it was painful to him to speak; however, he expressed a deep
sense of the deadly evil of sin, and of his own vileness by reason of
it, mentioning its aggravation on account of the peculiar advan-
tages he enjoyed; and expressed his entire dependence on God
through Jesus Christ;" saying "that he was weary of this world,
and that it was his chief concern that his evidences for heaven
might be more full and clear. One of his last petitions was,
that an open and abundant entrance might be ministered to him
into Grod's heavenly kingdom. And when his speech failed, be-

(b No. 8 of "Recollections of a Bostonian'' published in the Columbian Centinel in 1831.
The late Mrs. Huntington told me, that she had heard Mrs. Waters and Mrs. Mason, well
known aged members of the Old South Church, give substantially the same account of Mr
Priaoel praying on that fast day.

•. ■y

31

ing asked, whether he could commit his soul into the hands of
Christ, and so resign himself to the will of God; he lifted his
dying hand to signify it. And thus, we have abundant reason to
believe, he entered into the everlasting rest which remains to the
people of God, on the Lord's day, a little after sunset," ^ Octo-
ber 22, 1758, aged 72. His funeral sermon was preached by
Dr. Sewall on the next Sabbath, being the day on which, in
conformity with a vote of the church already noticed, his Revisal
of the Psalms began to be used in the public worship of the con-
gregation. ®

Dr. Sewall continued sole pastor, — assistance being provided
for him, most of the time, by die society, half of each Sabbath, —
until February 25, 1761; when the Rev. Alexander Gumming
was installed as colleague pastor. (41) Mr. Gumming was a
native of New Jersey. He received his academical education
chiefly under the direction of his uncle. Rev. Samuel Blair of
Frogg's Manor in Pennsylvania, a man greatly distinguished for
his learning and piety; ^ and studied theology under the care of
the celebrated William Tennent. ® He was licensed to preach in
1746 or 1747; and was three years minister of the Presbyterian
church in the city of New York. ^ He "was a man," it is said,
"of a remarkably clear and discriminating mind; a close student,
and an instructive, excellent preacher. He had a singularly
happy faculty of disentangling and exhibitmg the most abstruse
and intricate subjects; and was peculiarly acceptable to the
more discerning classes of his hearers." ^ His career of useful-
ness in this place was short. He died August 25, 1763,
aged 36.

Thus the venerable Sewall was again left with the sole charge
of the congregation. Three years after another colleague was
setded, the Rev. Samuel Blair. This gentleman was a son of
the Rev. Samuel Blair, already mentioned as the uncle and aca-
demical instructor of Mr. Gumming. He graduated at the Gol-
lege of New Jersey in 1760; aftep which he served, about a
year, as tutor in that institution. He was licenced to preach,
and had been ordained, in the Presbyterian connexion; and was
installed pastor of this church, November 26, 1766. (42) He
was a man of fine talents, and extensive acquirements; greatly
distinguished as a sermonizer, particularly as a master of the
touching and pathetic. His voice, it is said, was feeble and

(b) Funeral Sermon by Dr. Sewall, pp. 17, 18.

(c) Dr. Sewall, in his funeral sermon, having noticed this Revisal, adds, "I hope the in-
troduction of it into our psalmody this day will be for the glory of God, and our edification.''
p. 16. It appeared from the Records, that the practice of reading and singing line by line bad
been continued till this time} in conmiencing the use of the Revisal, it was, by a vote of the
ehurch, discontinued.

(d) See Miller's Life of Rev. Dr. John Rodgers, p. 17.

(e) See his Life by the late Ellas Boudinot, LL. D.

(f) From Oct. 1750 to Oct. 1753.

(g) Miller's Life of Rodgers, p. 146. See also Dr. Sewall's funeral sermon, and Allen's
Bk^phical Dictionary.

32

tremulous; yet his delivery was uncommonly impressive. In
September 1767, about ten months after his settlement here,
Mr. Blair was, by a unanimous vote of the Trustees of the Col-
lege of New Jersey, elected to the presidency of that institution.
This was after the celebrated Dr. Witherspoon had declined his
first appointment to that office. In a few weeks after Mr. Blair's
election, it became known that Dr. Witherspoon, having had his
doubts satisfied as to some points of difficulty, might now be in-
duced to accept the office. Upon learning this, Mr. Blair, with
an honorable promptness and magnanimity, immediately declined
the appointment. When it is considered of what able and ven-
erable men the* Board of Trustees of Princeton College was at
that time composed, and that Mr. Blair was then only about
twenty seven years old, this election must be regarded as a tes-
timony to his high reputation of a very decisive kind. In the
spring of 1769, being in feeble health, Mr. Blair took a journey
to Philadelphia. While there, he was visited with severe sick-
ness; which, it was apprehended, had still further and perma-
nently impaired his constitution. The state of his health, and
the existence of certain difficulties which had sprung up between
him and his people, ^ which he thought it not likely would be
easily removed, induced him, in the following September, to
write to the church and congregation requesting a dismission;
and he was, accordingly, dismissed, October 10, 1769. Mr.
Blair's health, in the judgment of himself and others, was never
again such as to permit him \o resume a pastoral charge. He
resided many of the last years of his life at Germantown in
Pennsylvania, where he died in September 1818, aged 78.

A few weeks after Mr. Blair left for Philadelphia, as just
stated, the venerable and excellent Sewall entered into his rest.
He had, for some time, on account of his infirmities, been carried
into the pulpit ^ from Sabbath to Sabbath; whergr, like the be-
loved disciple of old in his latter days, he sat, and with paternal
and apostolic aflfection and fidelity, instructed and exhorted his
children in the faith. The evening he had arrived at fourscore,
he preached to his people an appropriate sermon. The next
Sabbath he was seized with a paralytic complaint, which confin-
ed him to his house the remaining months of his earthly exist-
ence, causing him considerable pain, but not depriving him of
reason. As we should expect, he was a pattern of submission
and patience. He acknowledged himself an unprofitable servant,
and looked to the atoning sacrifice of Christ alone for pardon.
He spoke of dying with cheerfuhiess; and was repeatedly heard
to say, with great pathos, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly."
He died June 27, 1769; having nearly attained the age of 81.

(h) In relation to *'the half-way covenant."

(i) In an arm chair, by the sexton and another individual.

33

After the dismbsion of Mr. Blair in the following October, the
church was vacant nearly two years, till September 25, 1771; ^
when two pastors were settled at the same time, the Rev. John y^
Bacon and Mr. John Hunt. (43) Mr. Bacon was "a native
of Canterbury, Conn.," graduated at the College of New Jersey
in 1765, was licensed and ordained in the Presbyterian connex-
ion, and had preached sometime in Somerset County, Mary-
land." Mr. Hunt was bom at Northampton, and graduated at
Harvard College in 1764. They were both men of talents and
promise. Mr. Bacon's style of preaching was argumentative;
hb manner approaching the severe. Mr. Hunt was descriptive
and pathetic; and peculiarly affectionate and winning in conver-
sation and public speaking.

Not long after their settlement, a dissatisfaction appeared in
the congregation with Mr. Bacon, which, continumg and increas-
ing, led to his dismission, February 8, 1775. (44) He removed
to Stockbridge in this State; "and entered upon civil life, though
he occasionally preached; became a justice of the peace; a re-
presentative in the Legislature; associate, and presiding judge of
the Common Pleas; a member and president of the State Senate;
and a member of Congress. He died October 25, 1820." J

About the commencement and during the continuance of Mr.
Hunt's ministry, were occurring the memorable scenes which is-
sued in the American revolution. Of these so many were asso-
ciated with this edifice, as to have obtained for it the appellation
of the "sanctuary of freedom." ^ Here was delivered, in defi-
ance of the threats of authority and in the presence of marshalled
soldiery, Warren's fearless oration on the anniversary of the
massacre of the 5th of March, 1770. (45) Here were repeated-
ly held the meetings of oppressed freemen, which called forth
diose peals of patriotic eloquence, which moved this whole coun-
try, and shook the British &rone.

Soon after the batde of Lexington, in the spring of 1775, the
gates of Boston were shut, and all passing and repassing of citi-
zens between town and country prohibited, by the British com-
mander. Mr. Hunt was at that time on a visit at Brookline.
Returning to Boston, he was not permitted to enter, unless he
would pledge himself to remain. Not choosing to give this
pledge, he retired to Northampton; where he died, of consump-
tion, the following December, aged 31. (46)

During the occupancy of Boston by the British troops, the
congregation was broken up, most of its members havmg sought
an asylum in different country towns. Their parsonage-house

(j) Histonr ofthc County of Berkshire. The wi iter also states, that *'he had a strong
mind, was fond of debate and tenacious* orhirf upinionii-, but decided in prosecnting what
he deemed his duty."

(k) Soow'b History of Boston, p. 310.

5

i<>-

34

cm Marlboro' Street, ' — ^formerly the mansion of Winthrop the
first governor, — ^was demolished, and the materials used for fuel.
Their Meeting House was turned into a riding-school for Bur-
gojme's regiment of cavalry; the pulpit and pews, and all the in-
fflde structures, being taken out and burnt for fuel, except the
sounding-board and east galleries; the latter of which wiere left
for the accommodation of spectators; and in the first gallery a
jdace was fitted up where liquor and refreshments were furnished
to those who came to witness the feats of horsemanship here ex-
hibited. ^ Many hundred loads of dirt and gravel were carted
in, and spread upon the floor. The south door was closed; and
a bar was fixed " over which the cavalry were taught to leap
their horses at full speed. In the winter, a stove was put up; in
which were burnt, for kindling, many of the books and manu-
scripts fi^om Mr. Prmce's library. (47) Thus was the holy place
profaned, until the British army evacuated Boston in March 1776.
The inhabitants speedily returned to their homes. For some
months the members of the Old South Society attended worship
with the various other congregations. In the fall of 1777, Mr.
Joseph Eckley, a licentiate of a Presbytery in New Jersey, hav-
ing come to town, and preached in different places with accept-
ance, a meeting of the church and congregation was called; and
application made to the few proprietors of King's Chapel then
here, for the use of their House, and to Mr. Eckley to preach as
a supply. The applications were both successful. The con-
gregation were kindly, and gratuitously, accommodated at the
Chapel about five years. ° July 19, 1778, the church and con-
gregation voted to observe *a day of prayer and humiliation be-
fore God, on account of the very affecting dispensations of his
providence towards them, particularly in the death of their late
worthy pastor, the Rev. Mr. John Hunt, whereby they were left
as sheep without a shepherd, and in the destruction of the beauti-
ful building where they used statedly to meet for the worship of
God, by those wicked and unreasonable men, the British troops;
and to present their supplications before then* God that he would
be pleased to lead and direct them to the choice of an able,
faithful and successful minister of the New Testament, and, in

(1) Now Wasbington Street; the house stood on the spot now occupied by the north end
€f South Row. It was of wood, two stories high, with the end towards the street.

(m) The author of '^Recollections of a Bostonian" says, in the Columbian Centinel of
Nov. 17, 1881, *'a grog shop was erected in the gallery, where liquor was sold to tlie sol-
diery, and conaequently produced scenes of riot and debauchery in that holy temple.'* But
aeveral aged persons with whom I have conversed, some of whom were here while the
town was occupied by the British troops, and all of whom say they recollect the appearance
V, of the church after their departure, and the conversation current respecting it at that time,

say that the soldiers were not allowed to resort to the gallery, which was reserved for the
onicera and their ladles and friends, who used to assemble there to witness the performances,
and that the erection in the gallery was to furnish them liquor and refreshments.

(n) It extended, from the wall on the west side of the first window west from the
Milk Street door, about ten feet long and four feet from the floor.

(o) *(Prom Nov. 9, 1777 to Feb. 23, 1783^ excepting five months in 1781,3, when they met
at the Representatives Room at the State House." Society's Records.

35

his own time and way, set him over them.' On the 8th of Sep-
tember, the church gave Mr. Eckley a call; the congregation
concurred on the 9th; and he was ordained October 27,
1779. (48)

In July 1782, — the proprietors of King's Chapel expecting
soon to resume its occupancy for their own use, — ^the Old South
church and congregation voted to repair their Meeting House.
It was completed in the following spring; in the same general
style in which it now appears, except the pulpit, the form as weD
as the substance of which have smce been changed, p Like the
temple of old, when rescued from the profanation of the Syrians
by the Macabees, ^ the House was, in a manner, rededicated, on
the Lord's day, March 2, 1783; — ^the pastor delivering an appro-
priate discourse, to an immense assembly; the choir singing, in
an anthem prepared for the occasion, "He hath raised up the
tabernacle of David that was fallen; he hath closed up the
breaches thereof; he hath raised up the ruins; he hath built it,
as in the days of old; and caused his people to rejoice therein.
Praise the Lord." (42)

The narrative will here be suspended; to be resumed and .

finished, if providence permit, on the next Sabbath. /

(p) It was what is commonly called '*a Cud pulpit." The present pulpit was built in 1806,
after Mr. Huntington was settled as colleague with Dr. Eckley, by the late Oea. Wflliim
Ffaillips, at an expense of $400, and presented to the society.

(q) 1 Maccab. iv, 41—46.

/

/

SERMON IIL

Isaiah lix, 19.

WHEN THE ENEMY SHALL COME IN LIKE A FLOOD, THE SPIRIT OP THE
LORD SHALL LIFT UP A STANDARD AGAINST HIM.

The notice which was taken, — ^near the close of the last deliver-
ed of these discourses,— of the two pastors who immediately
preceded Dr. Eckley, has already intimated, that it is not my
design to attempt to give a formal character of those ministers
who were well known and are distinctly recollected by a large
portion of the congregation, as I have done of those who were
known and are remembered by none or by very few now living.
My business, therefore, in relation to the portion of the period
occupied by the history of this church still to be reviewed, b
simply to give a faithful account of the more interesting events
that have occurred since the reoccupancy of the Meeting House, in
1783, for the sacred purposes to which it was origmaDy devoted.
The passage of Scripture just repeated, indicates what I re-
gard to be the most prominent aspect of the occurrences now to
be noticed, viz. the coming in upon the Congregational churches
of this metropolis and region, and to some extent^ for a time,
upon this church, of what the pastors and members of the church
with very few exceptions, and the great body of the congrega-
tion, from the beginning, have regarded as at variance with and
subversive of evangelical truth and piety; and the lifting up by
the Spirit of the Lord of a standard agamst this enemy, by
which his approaches to this citadel of Zion have hitherto been
repelled, and we enabled to send forth colonies and establish
other posts for the defence and enlargement pf the Redeemer's
kingdom.

38

Let none be led by this remark to apprehend, that the unwont-
ed sound of theological controversy and invective is about to re-
verberate within these walls. Those who are accustomed to at-
tend on the usual ministrations from this pulpit will have no such
apprehension. I am simply about to state, honestly and frankly,
— as the task I have undertaken requires me to do, — ^the most
prominent events in the religious history of this congregation,
and as far as is necessary of this place and region, during the
period yet to be reviewed, — ^without any criminations or re-
proaches; and, with the calmness and fearlessness which become
a successor of Thatcher, and Willard, and Pemberton, and
Sewall, to express my deliberate impressions of the character
and bearing of the facts to be narrated. Not to do this would
be treason — ^to the duty at present devolved upon me, to the
reputation of this ancient and venerable church, to the obligations
imposed by the signal and long continued favor of heaven.

The period in which Dr. Eckley was called to exercise his
ministry in this congregaticm was one of peculiar trial. There
had long been at work causes which had been preparing the
way for and producing, in this metropolis, and extensively in
New England, material defections from the sentiments and the
piety of the Puritans. Some of these have been adverted to,
for a different purpose, in preceding parts of this sketch.

The provision, already noticed as adopted at the very com-
mencement of the colony and continued in force for half a cen-
tury, that none should have the rights of freemen who were not
members of some regularly established church, had a most pow-
erful influence in preparing the way for corruption in doctrine
and practice. As it is now easy to see would be the ten-
dency of such a provision, it operated to the injury of the
churches and the detriment of religion in different ways. In the
first place, it must have continually exerted a secularizing influ-
ence, in regard to religion, on the minds of the truly pious, by
causing a religious character and profession to be habitually
viewed as the means of enjoying civil privileges. In the next
place, notwithstanding the strictness of examination of candi-
dates for church privileges at that period, there can be no doubt
that this regulation brought into the church numbers, continually
increasing, who entered it, not from simple regard to the institu-
tions of Christ and the welfare of his spiritual kmgdom, but
fit)m selfish and mercenary motives, — for the sake of the sec-
ular advantages connected with church membership. Thus
there was early introduced into the churches the corrupting
leaven of unsanctified members, who had no spirituality, no sin-
cere, heartfelt attachment to the truth and precepts and disci-
pline of the Gospel, and no true zeal for the promotion of vital
religion. Here was "a root of evil planted in the church*' itself,

39

"which would be sure to spring up in one direction or another,
and spread abroad its disastrous shade, and scatter around its
bitter fruit," And from without a most pernicious influence
was produced and fostered by the same cause. Those who
did not apply for admission to the churches, or having applied
were reftised, and were thus excluded from all civil privileges,
became greatly dissatisfied with the existing institutions. This,
when their numbers became considerable, produced, as was
stated in the first of these discourses, a long continued and
violent contention. A contest arose which, of course, affected
the preaching, the conversation, the whole conduct, of both
ministers and people. The religion of the heart was more and
more neglected, the means of grace were applied, with less and
less fidelity, and the influences of the Spirit were gradually
withdrawn.

The result of this unhappy contest, as you have already been
informed, was the decision by the Synod of 1662, that all
baptized persons were to be considered members of the church, J
and, if not scandalous in their lives, to be admitted to all its
privileges except a participation of the Lord's Supper. This
decision was, at lengdi, acquiesced in by most of the churches
in New England, probably by all in the Plymouth and Massachu-
setts colonies. This gave rise to what has been commonly
called iht Half-^ay covenant. A name which, of itself indi-
cates that religion and the observance of its sacred rites were
extensively becoming, in the estimation of the people, a sort of
half way business, and, of course, its energy and vitality dying
away. According to the provisions of this arrangement, persons
who, confessedly, had not given their heaits to God, for the
purpose of obtaining access to the, in such case, mere ceremony
of baptism for their children, were permitted and encouraged
to come and ^profess before God, angels and men, to give
themselves up to God the Father as their chief good; to the Son
of Grod as their Mediator, Head and Lord, relying upon him
as the Prophet, Priest and King of their salvation; to die Holy
Spirit of Grod, as their Sanctifier, Guide and Comforter, to be
temples for him to dwell in;' * — ^were permitted and encouraged
to come and make, in the most solemn circumstances, the most
solenm of all professions, when tliey did not regard themselves,
and those around did not regard them, as having at all, in heart,
given themselves away to God, and trusted in Christ, and
yielded themselves up to be temples of the Holy Ghost.
And, as to the promises which were annexed, of educatmg
children in the fear of the Lord and submitting to the discipline
of the church, on the one hand, and of watchful care on the

(a) Tbeie are the terms in the half-way-covenant last used in this church.

S

^i

40

other, they soon came to be alike disregarded, both by those who
exacted, and by those who made them; parents did not, and
were soon not expected to, fulfil their engagements, in form so
significant and solemn; and churches did not, and were soon
not expected to fulfil theirs. Thus the most solemn and ex-
pressive acts of religion came to be regarded as unmeaning
ceremonies; — ^the form only to be thought important, while the
substance was overlooked and rapidly passing away. **

And now another and still more fatal step was taken in this
downward course. Why should such a difference be made
between the two Christian sacraments, which, reason infers
from the nature of the case, and the Scriptures clearly deter-
mine, require precisely the same qualifications? And why, if
persons were qualified to make, in order to come to one ordi-
nance, the very same profession, both in meaning and in terms,
required to come to the other, why should they be excluded
from that other? The practical result, every one sees,
would be, that, if the innovation already made were not
abandoned, another would speedily be intrdduced. And such
was the fact. Correct moral deportment, with a profession of
correct doctrinal opinions and a desire for regeneration, came
to be regarded as the only qualification for admission to the com-
munion. This innovation, though not as yet publicly advocated
by any, there is conclusive proof had become quite extensive in

Sractice previously to 1679.® Thus was abandoned, by the
few England churches extensively, that principle, viz. 'that
particular churches ought to consist of regenerate persons,' —
the lettmg go of which soon after the apostolic age, a distin-
guished writer has affirmed and proved, "was the occasion and
means of introducing all that corruption in doctrine, worship,
order and rule, which ensued, and ended in the great apos-
tasy." ^ And in this instance, the same effects soon began to
appear. The churches soon came to consist very considerably,
in many places, of unregenerate persons, — of those who regard-
ed themselves and were regarded by others as unregenerate.
The standard of religious profession was greatly lowered; and,
of course, vital religion itself came to be continually less and
less regarded; the close and pungent preaching of the first min-
isters would not be endured, and it gradually ceased; and the
sanctifying and converting energy of the Holy Spirit was
withdrawn.

(b) The character and influence of the half-way-covenant are well described in Bellamy 'ft
Works, iii. 393.

(c) The proof is the fact adverted to in the first of these sermons, that one of the measures
earnestly recommended by 'Uhe Reforming Synod" in 1679, was a return to the ancient
strictness in admitting persons to the Lord's Supper.

(d) Owen's True Nature of a Gospel Church, Chap, i, Works zx. 363, 6vo. London, 1836.

41

These were die principal causes of the general and distressing
decline of religion, the palpable manifestation of which, with
the inflictions and the threatening aspects of providence,
led to 'the Reforming Synod' of 1679. (50) The deliberations
and results of this Synod, and the consequent measures of
reformation adopted by tlie churches, had a happy influence.
But it was only temporary. The causes of the declension so
impressively acknowledged, continued still in existence and in
vigorous operation; except the single one of church member-
ship being a qualification for the privileges of freemen, which
was done away, partly in 1664, entirely in 1686. But in its
stead, there soon came in the operation of other causes of similar
tendency and influence. The political troubles connected with
the abrogation of the colonial charter and the setdement of
a new government, greatly agitated the public mind, and mter-
fered with serious attention to the duties and interests of relig-
ion. In 1707, the sentiment was publicly advocated that "sanc-
tification is not a necessary qualification for partaking of the
Lord's Supper;" ® and, though at first opposed, was soon
adopted and practised upon by the ministers and churches gen- J
erally. The door having been thus,, professedly as well as
really, opened for persons without piety to enter the church;
as a very natural consequence, there soon ceased to be any let
or hindrance to their entering the ministry. And there is
painful evidence that, previous to • the year 1740, many of
this description did enter the ministry. (51) "They were grave
men, in speculation evangelical, or moderately so; and performed
their customary ministerial duties with regularity: but their
preaching lacked point, and earnestness, and application; their
devotionaJ services were without warmth and unction; their
labors were not blessed of the Holy Spirit; their people slum-
bered; the tone of religious feeling and sentiment was sinking;
and true godliness seemed fast retiring fi:om the land."

And now began to come in that form of doctrine^ which,
by its imaginary "new law of grace" and other kindred errors,
leads men to be satisfied, on principle, with a decent attend-
ance on the outward institutions of religion, connected with
morality and sobriety of life. (52)

Of all these things the consequence was that, within thirty
years after the commencement of the eighteenth century, a
large proportion of the clergy; — ^not all, by any means; there
were many happy exceptions, among whom are to be classed
the then ministers of this Church, ^ and probably all the minis-

(e) By the Rev. Solomon Stoddard of Northampton. See Dwight's Life of President
Edwards, Chapter xix, p. 298.

(f) Speculative Arminianism.

(g) Sewall and Prince.

6

I

42

ters at that time settled in Boston; yet, very many of the clergy
through the country, were, either only speculatively correct,
or to some extent actually erroneous, in their religious opinions;
maintaining regularly the forms of religion, but, in some instan-
ces, having well nigh lost, and in others, it is to be feared,
having never felt, its power. The churches were generally
in a cold and formal state. "There was," as we have already
heard Mr. Prince testify, "a great decay of godliness both in
the town and land." ^

Thus had the enemy come in like a flood, when the Spirit
of the Lord lifted up a standard against him, by granting the
series of remarkable revivals with which New England gener-
ally, and some other colonies, were visited from 1735 to 1744*
Of this remarkable attention to religion, it has been said, by
one qualified to estimate its character and who made himself
familiar with its history, that "at its commencement, it appears to
have been, to an unusual degree, a silent, powerful and glorious
work of the Spirit of God, — ^the simple effect of truth applied
to the conscience, and accompanied by his converting grace.
So auspicious, indeed, was the opening of this memorable work
of God, and so rapid its progress, that the promised reign of
Christ on the earth was believed by many to be actually begun.
Had it continued of this unmixed character, so extensive was
its prevalence, and so powerful its operation, it would seem
that, in no great length of time, it would have pervaded this
western world." But "as is usual in such cases, it" soon began
to be "opposed, by the enemies of vital religion, with a violence
proportioned to its prevalence and power." ^ And, as the state-
ments already made have evinced, there were then many ene-
mies of vital religion in the churches, and some in the ministry.
(53) But, as has too often been tlie case, the "worst enemies"
of the work "were found among its most zealous friends." J In
some places practices highly censurable were introduced; and
measiu-es were adopted for the purpose of extending the mflu-
ence which tended to produce disorder and confusion. The
more judicious friends of the revival discerned these commenc-
mg evils, and promptly made exertions to check them. ^ And
in many places, it should be explicitly stated, these irregulari-
ties were wholly unknown, and in very few did they become
predominant. ^ Yet such was their extent and character that

(h) Christian History, ii. 375.

(1) Dwight'8 Life of President Edwards, p. 191.

(j)Ibid. p. 191.

(k) Particularly the Rev. Mr., afterwards President, Edwards, in his Thoughts on the Ee-
vival of Religion in New England.

(1) Dwight's Life of President Edwards, p. 194. Said Dr. Colraan of this city, in a letter
dated Nov. 23, 1741, "We have seen little of those extreams or supposed blemnshes of this
work in Boston, but much of the blessed fruits of it have fallen to our share. God has
spoken to us in a more soft and calm wind-, and we have neither had those outcries and
faintings in our assemblies which have disturbed the worship in many places; nor yet
those manifestations of joy inexpressible which now fill some of our eastern parts." Chris-
tian History, ii. 386.

43

they prejudiced some good men against the revival; and put
into the hands of the enemies of vital religion the most efficient
weapons with which they assailed the work; and led the authors
of the exceptionable measures to indulge very improper feelings,
and conduct toward their opponents, in some respects, in a very
improper manner.

The methods pursued by the opposers of the revival were
various. In Connecticut, they resorted to open persecution; and,
by prosecution, imprisonment, and transportation out of the
colony, sought to put a stop to the work: a method of proceed-
ing which, as might have been expected, at length wrought the
disgrace and overthrow of its promoters, and restored the friends
of the revival to even greater favor than they had lost. In
Massachusetts the opposition was conducted in a different man-
ner. The work was "assailed by sneers, reproaches, unfavora-
ble msinuations, and slanderous reports. The abuses of it were
much insisted on and exaggerated; and the friends of it were
treated in a manner which had all the effect of palpable perse-
cution without its odium. Warm, active, devoted piety was
rendered disgraceful; and strong prejudices were excited and
confirmed against every thing which bore the appearance of a
revival." And the result was, the work soon universally ceased.
On tlie one hand, a large number of ministers and Christians
were greatly elevated in then- views of divine truth and of
experimental religion, and of the methods to be used for their
promotion: a holy fire was kindled, which diffused a warmth
and vigor, never since wholly extinguished, and to which may
be direcdy traced most that is at present desirable in the relig-
ious aspect of things in New England, and through our whole
land. But, on the other hand, a considerable number of minis-
ters and laymen settled down, either into avowed erroneous
opinions, or into a strange indifference in regard to religious
doctrine; warmth and engagedness in religion were condemned
as ^things of a bad and dangerous tendency;' innovations in
doctrine were considered as thmgs of small importance; and
pretensions to unusual seriousness named and treated as a vicious
^enthusiasm.' (54)

The latter of these influences began, soon after the revival, to
be the predominant one in the metropolis and surrounding region.
The causes of this were various. Here was continued, in all
the churches, the lax practice in reference to the communion, "*
which was, in other parts of the country, giving place to the
correct and scriptural practice. The coming in of Armenian

(m) The statement by Mr. Prince, already quoted, of his opinion that piety was not an
indispensable qualification for communion, was published in February 1744,5. He mildly
censures Mr. Tennent for ''being so exceeding strict in cautioning people from running into
churches, taking the sacred covenant, and receiving the Lord's Supper, the seal thereof,
till thsy had saving graee.^* Christian History, ii. 396,

C

44

{Mrinciples, as is often the case, drove the friends and advocates
of truth somewhat into the opposite extreme, and imparted to
their views of doctrine something of an antinomian cast, which,
of course, blunted the point of their preaching and greatly
diminished its power. (55) But, more than all the rest, the
writings and influence of one of tlie most talented ministers
which Boston has ever produced; who was unfriendly to the
revival from the first, published against it as early as 1743; and
exerted himself, with great diligence and success, during a long
life, to bring every thing of the kind into disrepute. "

And to ail this is to be added the influence of the political
conflicts in which the country was almost continually engaged
fipom 1744. First was the French war, which terminated in
1762. Only three years after, the stamp act was passed; and
those agitations commenced which led to the war of the revolu-
tion, and terminated with the acknowledgment of our independ-
ence in 1783. "During these times of high political excite-
ment, interest and peril, all other concerns seemed to be merged
in those of the nation. And perhaps no class of citizens were
more deeply mterested than the clergy. By their prayers,
their sermons, then* conversation, influence and example, they
endeavored to the utmost to sustain the courage of the citizens,
and secure the deliverance of their bleeding country. This
course of procedure," while in the circumstances of the case
perhaps "commendable and necessary," had a powerful influ-
ence to "withdraw the minds of the clergy, and, through them,
of their people, from the great concerns of religion and the soul.
The tone of religious sentiment and feeling was relaxed^ and
the cause of Christ neglected. A multitude of unprincipled
foreigners were introduced into the country, as enemies or al-
lies, to trample on its institutions, and corrupt the principles and
habits of its citizens." Respect for the sabbath and other relig-
ious observances was greatly diminished. "A large proportion
of the young men were withdrawn from their customary pur-
suits to a military course of life, and familiarized to all the
temptations of the field and the camp." Very many of the
active portion of the community had "then- minds," for a series
of years, "drawn away from the great concern of life. Their
moral sense became blunted; their respect for the law, the
truth, and the mstitutions of God was diminished; while, un-
der die pretence of superior knowledge, greater enlargement of
mind, a freedom from prejudice, and a spirit of Catholicism,
they were led to regard all religious systems as of about equal
value, and to prefer that, of course, which would impose the

(n) The Rev. Charles Cbniincey , D. D. ordained pastor of the First Church, Oct. 25, 1737,
■ad died Feb. 10, 1787, aged 82; who probably did more than any other individual to trans-
fiNno tiM religioiis character of Boston and the surrounding region.

i^l:...

46

fewest restraints." And then, when these troubles had passed
away, "in the joy of victory, and in the full tide of commer-
cial prosperity and increasing wealth, the world engaged their
affections more and more; its riches, honors and pleasures attract-
ed their pursuit; while the bounteous Giver of all, his word,
his truth, his institutions and laws, were forgotten and despised." °

In this state of things. Dr. Eckley commenced his ministry,
and continued it above twenty years. The congregation was not
large, and did not much increase. No meetings of the church
were held, nor any other special means used, to promote vital
religion. Two sermons were preached on the Sabbath, and a
preparatory lecture once in four weeks; and these, with occasion-
al pastoral visits, were all the means that were employed to sus-
tain the cause of Christ against the tide of indifference and
worldliness and error. The church, although there was no great
strictness of examination for admission, received, in twenty
four years, p an accession, by both profession and recommenda-
tion, of only one hundred and twenty five members; less than
have, in more than one instance since, been received, upon care-
ful examination, within two years. And similar was the state of
things in all the other Congregational churches in the town.

In the mean time publications had been introduced from Eng-
land, and extensively read and favorably received, impugning
the doctrines of the essential divmity of Christ, his vicarious sac-
rifice, the personality, divinity and efficacious influence of the
Holy Spirit, the entire moral depravity of man, the reality and
necessity of regeneration, and indeed all the distinctive doctrines
of the evangelical faith. These doctrines began to be secredy
doubted and disbelieved by a large portion of the ministers and
more influential laymen. ^ The pastor of this church, while he
held fast to all the other doctrines of the evangelical system, be-
came Semi-arian as it was anciently called, or according to
modem language in this region, Worcesterian, in his views of the
person of Christ. (56) Every thing jevangelical and vital in doc-
trine and practice, in the Congregational denomination, was
withermg and ready to die. There was, indeed, one hope re-
maining. There were some who gave themselves to prayer;
especially that band of holy women, among whom our own
Waters and Mason were so honorably distinguished. (57) But
almost every where else were to be seen, only discouragement

(o) See a more full account of the declensions in New England and their causes in a Se-
ries of Letters on "the Introduction and Progress of Unitarian ism," in the Spirit of the
Pilgrims for 1829; from which are taken the quotations in the preceding account not other-
wise acknowledged.

(p) From October 1779, the time of Dr. Eckley's settlement, to October 1803, about tlie
commencement of the revival among the Baptists, to be noticed presently. The congrega-
tion, it should be remembered, was all this time not large.

(q) See an account of the introduction and progress in this place and region of anti-evan-

felical opinions in "American Unitarianism," published in I8I5, and in the Spirit of tbe
ilgrinu for 1839, pp. 18&-185, 269—298, and for 1830, pp. 113—125.

46

and the signs of decay. This congregation, in the summer of
1803, was deserted by a considerable portion of the younger
dass of its members. ' The church was diminishing in number.
AD the religious interests of the society were visibly and rapidly
declining.

Thus, with more fearful emphasis than ever before, the enemy
was coming in like a flood. And now agam did the Spirit of the
Lord lift up a standard against him. ' In the fall of 1803, God
was pleased to pour out his Spirit on the Baptist churches then
m this city, and grant them a precious revival of religion; which
contmued with power above a year. Members of this and other
Congregational churches and societies frequented the meetmgs
of the Baptists during this season of specid religious attention.
Dr. Eckley and Drs. Stillman and Baldwin * had before been in
the habit of attending each other's preparatory lectiu-es. By this
means Dr. Eckley was brought into the midst of the revival.
The good man's heart became warmed. He attended other
meetings of the Baptists beside their preparatory lectures, and
took part in them in exhortation and prayer. Thus a reviving
influence was brought into this congregation; which had, for a
time, to struggle for existence; but has, by the grace of God,
continued even until now, and rendered this again a flourishing
vine, and caused it to send forth branches all around, that have
taken root, and are bearing fruit to the glory of God.

As was natural, in the circumstances just described, to a man
at heart devoted to the glory of God and the etemdl interests
of men. Dr. Eckley was desirous that the blessed influence of
the revival should pervade his own congregation. With this view
he endeavored to dirow more energy and point into his preach-
ing, and increased the frequency and fidelity of his visits among
the families of his flock. And he had the happiness to witness
some good fruits of these exertions. But all was not yet accom-
plished, or attempted, which he desired. He was anxious that
some of those special means might be employed, whose happy
influence he had felt and witnessed among his Baptist brethren.
With this view he called a meeting of the brethren of the church
oa the 16th of October 1803, of which he has left us the follow-
ing record. "In consequence of the manifestation of a much
greater attention to religion than had been observed for some
considerable time preceding, and of the desire of a number of
the members of the church, in concurrence with the desire of
the pastor, to encourage and improve so hopeful an appearance,

(r) They went to the congregation in Federal Street, where was settled that year a min-
liter then supposed to be decidedly orthodox in his doctrines, and apparently much engaged
In promoting evangelical piety. After the deveiopements in 1815, to be more particularly
mentioned presently, the most of these persons returned, or went to other evangelical soci-

(8) Paiton, the former of the First the latter of the Second, Baptist Churches.

47

it was proposed that a pubKc lecture should be held in this
church through the ensuing winter, at which the pastor should be
requested to officiate, togedier with such ministers of the Boston
Association and other clergymen who preached occasionally ia
this House, as might be inclined to render their assistance in the
service proposed. After much serious conversation," it was
"voted to postpone the determination on the subject to the next
Sabbath afternoon." At the adjourned meeting, the subject was
again taken into consideration, and "a vote of concurrence in the
proposal was passed by a considerable majority of the members
present."^ This measure was disapproved by some of the
church ** and several of the congregation. Hitherto the church
alone had acted on questions relating to the use of the Meeting
House. Their right to do so was now called in question. A
meeting of pewholders was held; and they decided that the House
should not be opened agreeably to the vote of the church. This
gave rise to an unhappy controversy between the church and the
parish about the right of property and of direction of prudential
afiairs; which gready agitated the congregation for nearly four
years, till August 1807, when, by mutual consent of the parties,
the controversy was dropped, and the ancient harmony restored*^
In the mean time special efforts continued to be made by the
pastor and brethren of the church for the revival in the socie^
of the spirit of religion. On the 13th of March 1804, a meeting
was held, with the approbation of the pastor, of eight brethren of
the church and congregation, who unanimously voted to "form
themselves into a society for religious improvement." At their
next meeting, on the 29th of the same month, they adopted cer-
tain regulations for the government of the society; of which the
third was in the following words, "That the Rev. Dr. Joseph
Eckley be invited to attend and preside in the society, at such
stated meetings as shall be convenient for him; and diat he be
requested to preach, pray or converse on such religious subjects
as to him shall appear most proper, and to invite such other gen-
tlemen of the clergy, as he shall see fit, for said purposes."
With this request Dr. Eckley cheerfully complied. And thus
began the Tuesday evening meeting;^ at which, at first, there
was but one brother of the church, who felt sufficient confidence
to lead in prayer; and which, for a time, encountered reproaches
and opposition which, to us at the present day, seem almost in-

(t) Church Records, vol. 2.

(u) Tlie great body of the church were at that time, undoubtedly, orthodox in their relif«
ious opinions-, but some even of these had imbilied the prejudices then so common and ao
strong against extra meetings and religious zeal.

(v^ See papers on file "relating to the controversy between the church and the society in
the Old South, respecting property, in 1803—1807."

( w) It was commenced at a house in Comhill, on the east side, a little north of State Street,
which stood on the spot now occupied by No. 50, Washington Street. After a time, it
moved across the street, nearly opposite^ then into Pond, now Bedford Street, where it
continued, with some interruptions, till a Vestry was provided in 1817.

48

credible, ^ but which was well attended, and made a blessmg,
from the beginning; and has lived and flourished till now; hav-
ing, long since, silently overcome every prejudice, and been the
parent of various other occasional meetings and special efforts
for doing good; and, directly and indirecdy, exerted a most
powerful influence in pre^rving and promoting the love of truth
and piety in this congregation.

The next important event in the history of this society, and of
the revival of evangelical religion in our denomination in this
town, was the setdement of the Rev. Joshua Huntington, in
1808. This gendeman was a son of the late Gen. Jedidiah
Huntington of New-London, Conn.; graduated at Yale College
in 1804; and studied divinity with President Dwight, the Rev.
Mr. Hooker of Goshen, Conn., and the late Dr. Morse of
Charlestown. He began to preach early in 1807. "During the
year he preached as a candidate, the people, in each of several
vacant parishes, were desirous of obtaining him for their minister.
He received two formal invitations on the same day; one from"
this church and society, ^ and "the other from the Congrega-
tional church in Middletown, Conn. About the same time he
received an invitation from another church, in a pleasant and
populous town. After the serious deliberation, and with the
most judicious advice, he accepted the invitation from" this peo-
ple; "and was ordained as colleague pastor with the Rev. Dr.
feckley. May 18, 1808."* And, in what manner, and with
what success, he served you in the Gospel, is still fresh, and will
long be cherished, in the affectionate remembrance of many
who hear me.

"Near the close of the year 1808, the formation of a new
church and ecclesiastical society in Boston, on evangelical prin-
ciples, was proposed, by a number of individuals, chiefly mem-
bers of the Old South church and congregation; and a subscrip-
tion opened for the erection of a place of public worship. On the
evening of Feb. 6, 1809, a meeting of the subscribers was held to
carry die proposed p^n into execution. Ten individuals were pre-
sent. A committee were appointed to draw up Articles of Faith
and a Church Covenant, to fix on a lot of land, and to procure the
plan of a building. Feb. 27, 1809, the church was gathered by a

(x) Yet those who established and attended this meeting were in **the old paths and
walking in the good way." Hutchinson, speaking of the period immediately succeeding
the establishment of the colony, says, (i.56.) '^ Besides the meetings for public worship on the
Lord's day, the stated lecture every Thursday in Boston, and other occasional lectures in
other towns, there were frequent private meetings of the brethren of the churches for relig-
ious exercises." In Judge SewalPs journal are constant notices of his attending such meet-
ings, (vChich he styles "Conference meetings") from Aug. 30, 1676, to near the time of his
decease. In these meetings, when ministers were not present, he and other brethren pray-
ed, and spoke, sometimes from a portion of Scripture. These meetings continued down to
the time of the Whitfieldian revival, when they were greatly multiplied; and some then es-
tablished were continued till the revolution: one continues till the present time.

(y) The church voted him a call, Feb. 8^ and the society concurred Feb. 13th 1808.

(z) Memoir of Rev. Joshua Huntington u the Panoplist for Dec. 18S0. (58)

49

CouncQ. At its formation it consisted of twenty-six members;" of
whom six had been dismissed from this church, and at least two
of those received on profession had been members of this con-
gregation. The comer-stone of their Meeting House was laid,
at the bottom of Park Street, May 1, 1809; their House dedica-
ted Jan. 10, 1810; and their first pastor installed July 31, 1811,
this church being present and assisting in the Council convened
for that purpose. • The establishment of this new society was a
very important event in the history of the revival of evangelical
religion in this town; and, by its cooperation m the promotion of
the same great objects, has exerted an important influence on the
advancement of the spiritual interests of this congregation.

April 30, 1811, Dr. Eckley deceased, after a short illness,
aged 61; f59) and Mr. Huntington, firom that time till hb
death, sustamed alone the responsibilities and labors of the min-
istry in this congregation. The Society was now in a flour-
ishing condition. The attendants on public worship steadily
and rapidly increased. The church was continually gaining
strength, both as to the decision of its members in regard to
doctrine and piety, and increase of numbers. There was, dur-
ing Mr. Huntington's ministry, no such special attention to relig-
ion as we commonly understand by a revival. Yet there was,
during the whole time, a serious, growing and efficient attention
to the subject. There was, it may be said with strict propriety
of language, a continual revival.

At length, in 1815, a developement was made of the state of
religious doctrine among the Congregational ministers and
churches of this metropolis; and it appeared, that all the other
ancient churches with their ministers had chosen to depart
widely fi'om the faith of their fathers; and that this church alone
of its old associates, with its pastor, stood firm upon the ancient
foundation, which we believe to be that "of the aposdes and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.**
And firom that time to the present, we have, we trust, by the
grace of God, been built up continually on this foundation;
while others, who, with us, once rested upon it, have, in the ex-
ercise of their Christian liberty, — for then* use of which they
are responsible only to God, been continually removmg from it
more and more.

During the ministry of Mr. Huntington, several important
measures were adopted in reference to benevolent operations, in
which he had an important agency. In 1815 was held, in his
study, the meeting which issued in the formation of the Ameri-
can Education Society; which has since furnished so many
other benevolent institutions with efficient agents, and so many
churches with faithfiil and successful pastors. In 1816 was

(a) Sketch of the history of Park Street Church.

7

60

formed the Boston Society for the Religious and Moral Instruc-
tion of the Poor, of which Mr. Huntington was president till his
death; and which established among us Sabbath schools, and
preachii^ to the seanien, and to the destitute poor; and which,
I hesitate not to say, advisedly, has, directly and indirecdy, ex-
erted more influence in the promotion of good morals and evan-
gelical religion in this city than any other, I know not but I may
say all other, similar institutions. ^ In June 1818, it was voted
by this church to unite with tlie Park Street Church in observing
the Monthly Concert of Prayer, in then* Meeting House, a con-
tribution to be taken monthly in aid of a mission to Palestine;
which arrangement has been continued, with great satisfaction
and profit, till the present time; having been also acceded to by
all the evangelical Congregational churches that have been since
established in the city. The only one of these gathered during
Mr. Huntington's ministry was the church in Essex Street, in
1819; which, in its formation, had his entire approbation and
co-operation. ®

The constitution of Mr. Huntington, never robust, was grad-
ually undermined by tlie anxieties and labors of his responsible
station. "Several times he had been obliged to intermit his
parochial labors for a season; but a resort to travellmg had usu-
ally given him recruited health and vigor. In the spring and
summer of 1819, he experienced considerable debility, and
determined upon another journey." He set out on the 19th of
July, in company with the then pastor of the Park Street
Church,^ and travelled more than 1700 miles. During the
greater part of the journey, his health decidedly improved. When
within a day's ride of home, he was so violently seized with a
fever that he was compelled to stop at Groton; ^ where "he lan-
guished for sixteen days, and sunk to rest on Saturday Sept.
11th, 1819, in the twelfth year of his ministry, and the thirty-
fourth of his age." ^

After the death of Mr. Huntington, the church was vacant
about seventeen months, till the setdement of the present pastor
February 21, 1821. (60) The years that have succeeded have,
through the great mercy of the Head of the Church, been
years of peace, and of prosperity to this church and congrega-
tion, and to the cause of evangelical religion in this city and
region. Since the agitations connected with my ordination, in

(b) TTe was a cordial friend and an active promoter of various other religious charities.

(c) He was a member of the Council which constituted the church, Jan. 27, 1819, and
offered the prayer at the laying of the corner-stone of their Meeting ilouge, June 26, 18:9.

(d) Rev. Serene E. Dwight .

(e) Thirty miles from Boston, where he was kindly and hospitably received by the Rev.
Dr. Chaplin and family, and experienced every attention and alleviation in his sickness
whioh it was in the power of Christinii benevolence and medical skill to afford.

(f) Memoir in the Pnnoplist. The Uev. S. E. Dwight, pastor of tiie Park 8treet Church,
preached his funeral Sermon.

51

which all parties were agreed in preventing the pastor from
being in any way implicated and which quickly subsided, there
has been, in the congregation, no contention, no unpleasant dif-
ference of opinion; and in the church, which has been called to
transact much business, there has not, so far as I recollect, been
a single vote taken that did not pass with perfect unanimity. In
the mean while, six new evangelical Congregational churches
have been formed and congregations collected in the City; — ^to
all of which this church and congregation have cheerfully con-
tributed members; and five Meeting Houses have been erected
for their accommodation, in the expense of which members of
this society have liberally shared: — and yet, this church has
been steadily increasing in numbers, and, most of the time,
nearly all the sittings in the House, that could be obtained, have
been improved. During the whole period, there have been some
inquiring what they should do to be saved, and, every few months,
additions to the church. And twice has our compassionate God
been graciously pleased to grant to us, in common with the
other evangelical congregations in the city and vicinity, the
special and copious effusions of his Holy Spirit.: in 1823 and 4,
the fruits of which were an addition of one hundred and four-
teen members to the church; and again in 1826, 7, and 8, which
gave us another addition of an hundred and fifteen to the num-
ber of our communicants. And now, once more, the same un-
speakable blessing is beginning to descend upon us; drops of
mercy are falling, in the midst of us and around us, which we
feel warranted to hope are the precursor of a copious and con-
tinuous shower.

Thus has the standard which the Spirit of the Lord in 1803,
lifted up on this spot, consecrated by the tears and the prayers
of our sainted ancestors, never been furled; but still waves in
mercy, to lead us, and all who will follow it in faith and fidelity
and self-denial and prayer, to new and greater conquests, till
shall be heard through the earth the sound of "great voices in
heaven, saying. The kingdoms of the world are become the
kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign for-
ever and ever."

I have now finished the notice I proposed to take, in chrono-
logical order, of the more prominent events in the history of
this ancient church. My design will be completed by a review
of the whole period, with special reference to several items of
interest and importance, and a statement of some of the prac-
tical lessons inculcated by the providences we have been con-
templating: — ^which will be attempted in the afternoon.

/

SERMOIV IV.

Jeremiah vi. 16.

THUS SAITH THE LORD, STAND YE IN THE WAYS, AND SEE, AND ASK
FOR THE OLD PATHS, WHERE IS THE GOOD WAY, AND WALK THEREIN}
AND YE SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOUI£.

I AM now, in fulfilment of the purpose announced at the close
of the mommg discourse, to review the period embraced in the '
history of this chui-ch, with special reference to several items of
a general nature; and then to conclude the whole with a state-
ment of some of the practical lessons inculcated by the provi-
dences we have been contemplating.

In noticing the items referred to, I shall speak,

1. First, of THE PROPERTY OF THE SOCIETY IN LANDS

AND buildings; the history of which is briefly as follows.
The gift of land, already noticed, by Madam Norton, on which
was built the first Meeting House, was the southern part, along
Milk Street, bemg somewhat less than half, of the land now owned
by the society— excluding the lot on which the Chapel stands.
The deed by which it was conveyed was dated April 1, 1669. On
the 30th of June 1677, she gave, by another deed, the eastern
half of the remainder of the lot; and, by will, on the 20th of
August 1677, gave the residue of the lot, with the house in
which she had resided. This lot was one of the original grants
to John Winthrop, the first governor, and the father of the colony;
and the house just mentioned, was the Mansion in which he re-
sided till his death. The house was of wood, two stories high;

i

54

aiid stood, nearly opposite the end of School Street, fronting
south; and, till the first Meeting House was erected, there was
upon the lot no other building; and the premises presented the
appearance indicated by the name by which they are described
in the early records — "The Green;" — ^being skirted along the
main street by a row of beautiful button-wood trees. These
trees, with the hous^, were consumed for fuel, by the British
troops, in the winter of 1775 and 6. In 1710 another parson-
age house was erected on Milk Street; which, m 1810, gave
place to the two ministerial houses now owned by the society.
The buildings denominated "South Row," were erected in 1800.
A part of the land on which the Chapel stands, was purchased
in 1816, and a wooden building on the lot soon after fitted up
as a Vestry; the remainder of the land was purchased in 1819,
and the present commodious and elegant building erected in
1827.(61)

2. The method of transacting business in this society
has been as follows. Proceedings stricdy ecclesiastical — ^rela-
ting to the administration of ordinances, the admission and disci-
pline of church members, calling of Councils, &c. — ^have always
been confined to the church. In relation to temporal and pru-
dential affairs the practice has varied. For upwards of fifty
years, all business of every kind was transacted by the church.
The first meeting of the church and congregation mentioned in
the records was on the 28th of August 1722; — a meeting con-
vened at the request of the church, to provide means and give
directions for repairing the Meeting House. (62) Separate re-
cords began to be kept for the church and congregation August
11, 1735. After this, for many years, business relating to the
temporal aflfairs of the society, was transacted both at meetings
of die church, and of the church and congregation; on what
principles of discrimination a careful examination has not ena-
bled me to determme. From the last mentioned date, instances
of the church alone actmg in relation to such business, occur
less and less frequently, tUl 1795; since which time, they have
entirely ceased, and proceedings of this kind have been exclu-
sively in the church and congregation. At first the church and
congregation, when it met for die transaction of business, was
composed of all the male members of the church and all who
paid rent for pews; then, of all male members of the church and
all proprietors of pews; and since April 2, 1818, of such male
members of the church and of the congregation as are proprie-
tors of pews. April 17, 1787, it was voted by the church
and congregation, that a Standing Committee of nine per-
sons. Jive of the church and four of the congregation, be
chosen, to take all necessary care of all temporal matters of
the society for the year; which committee, dius constituted,

65

has been continued, by an annual choice, to the present time.
In settling a minister, llie practice has been, uniformly, for more
than an hundred years, for the church and society to act separ-
ately, — ^the church ^r5^ voting a call. (63) If in any case, (an
instance of which has never yet occurred,) the society should
not concur in a call of tlie church, the proceedings of die latter
on the subject would, of course, be void, and must be com-'
menced anew in reference to the same or another candidate.
Previously to 1760, the salary of ministers was determined and
voted by the church; since that time by the church and con-
gregation.

It is believed by the speaker, that the method of transacting
business just detailed as, at present and for a number of years
past, transacted by this church and society, is the one most con-
sonant with the mutual rights, and best calculated peaceably and
effectually to secure the respective privileges of churches and
congregations, as they exist in this Commonwealth. May it be
scrupulously observed, and its beneficial influence be experienc-
ed, by us and our successors to the end of time.

3. This church and congregation have from the beginning
been kind and liberal to the widows and orphan chil-
dren OF THEIR ministers. Mr. Willard left a widow, and a
large family of children. For several years they continued in
the parsonage house, and received from the church a yearly
grant of twenty pounds. Mrs. Pemberton also occupied the
house in which she had resided with her husband previously to
his decease, till it was wanted for another minister; and, for sev-
eral years, received an annual grant of forty pounds. In 1739
it was determined by the church and congregation to establish "a
fond, for charitable and pious uses, — as well for the support
of the vndows and fatherless children of the pastors of the church
from time to time^ as other uses of a charitable and pious na-
ture." And among the regulations in regard to this fund, is the
following, "that, while there shall be no widow or fatherless
child of any of the pastors of the said church, the interest and
mcome of that part of the fund raised for them, shall be added
to the principal stock, not to be divided again: but, when there
shall be a widow or fatherless child or more of said pastors, it
shall be left to the said church to judge and order how much of
the interest or income shall be disposed of for then* support from
time to time, and when to cease supporting them." * In rela-
tion to the subsequent history of this fund, I find in the records
only a single notice. It is in a report, made to the society
April 18, 1800, of a "committee appointed to examine into the
state of the funds of the South church and congregation, and to

(a) Chrrch records, vol. I.

J

66

endeavor to find fit)m what source they have arisen, and the in-
tentions of the donors." In this report is the following item,
"CoDected at sundry times, the interest to the use of ministers
widows and children, £66, 19, 2." This proves that such a
fund was actually instituted. June 17, 1811, soon after the de-
cease of Dr. Eckley, ^ the church and congregation voted, "that
it is the desire oi the society that Mrs. Eckley remain m the
parsonage house to the end of the present year; or, if it be more
agreeable to her to remove therefrom, they will allow and pay
her at the rate of one thousand dollars per annum, from the time
she shall cease to occupy the same, until the last day of Decem-
ber next;" — also "that there be allowed to Mrs. Eckley the
amount of salary which has been usually paid to the late Rev.
Dr. Eckley until the last day of December next." After the
death of Mr. Huntington, the society granted to his widow the
use of the parsonage house till it should be wanted for another
minister; the usual quantity of fuel, with the salary of her late
husband, during the remainder of diat and the next subsequent
year; and from and after that time, one thousand dollars a year
for six years; the salary and annuity, in case of her decease, to
be continued and paid in the same manner for the benefit of her
children. And when she died in 1823, the Standing Commit-
tee, "actuated," as is stated in the record, "by feelings of deep
regret at her decease, and considering the relation she had sus-
tained to the church and congregation, unanimously voted, that
the charges of her funeral should be borne by the society."

It is with inexpressible satisfaction that I contemplate this
uniform exhibition of kindness and liberality toward those whose
.situation is usually rendered, by the death of a beloved compan-
ion, one of loneliness and desolation, — ^who are, in most cases,
widows mdeed, — ^more truly than those similarly bereaved in any
other station of life. Surely He, who is "a Father of the fath-
erless, and a Judge of the widow, in his holy habitation," wiD
bless and prosper a people who persevere in maintaining such a
character.

4. From the account given of the cu*cumstances of the origin
of this church, it will have been inferred that the, so caDed,
Half-way-covenant was adopted in it at the beginning, and
practised upon for some time. Such was the fact. According
to the original act of the Synod of 1662, which is the basis of
this arrangement as adopted in the churches of Massachusetts,
parents who should wish to be received within its provisions,
must give to the church satisfactory evidence of their "under-
standing the doctrine of faith, and publicly assent thereto;"
must be "not scandalous in life, and solemnly own the covenant

(b) WHio left a considerable estate.

57

before the church, wherein they give up themselves and their
children to the Lord, and subject themselves to the government
of Christ in the church;" and their children, "when grown up,
are" to be considered and treated as "personally undei: the
watch, discipline and government of the church."® Oil this
basis the arrangement was adopted by this church at its forma-
tion, and attempted to b^ administered. But it was, almost
continually, a source of difficulty. The discipline promised,
and engaged to be submitted to, could not be enforced; and,
consequently, the church and its ministers were frequently dis-
tressed by the consciousness of not redeeming their solemn
pledges and discharging their duty. This is stated ^ to have
been a prominent source of the difficulties in the case of Mr.
Bacon, and is the orf^i one mentioned in the case of Mr. Blair.
Dr. Eckley had serious scruples and difficulties in regard to it.
In 1787 the church gave the subject a deliberate examination;
and determined, that such persons only could be admitted with-
in the provisions of this arrangement, as should give satisfactory
evidence that they were prepared to "present their offspring to
Grod in baptism with sincerity and devotion^^^ and should, as had
before been the practice, profess publicly to "give themselves
up to God in an everlasting covenant" in the same manner and
in the same terms as those who were received into fiiU commu-
nion, being prevented from coming to the Lord's Supper only
by ^'dovbts and fears concerning a personal approach to that
ordinance;" and must solemnly "engage, to bring up their chil-
dren in the nurture and admonition of die Lord:" and also "that
a more particular connection should be considered as existing
between those of this description and the members who partook
of the sacramental Supper than had been usually contemplated"
for some time before; "and that the church should, not only
attend with care to the purity of their morals, but professedly en-
gage its watchfulness, direction and assistance in regard to the
whole of their spiritual concerns." ® These are the latest pro-
ceedings on the subject; and, of course, present the basis of the
arrangement as now existing, and on which alone persons can be
received within its provisions, if any should desire it. They
must give satisfactory evidence, that they are prepared in heart
to take the same covenant in its essential articles, and give them-
selves up to God in the same manner, as is done by those who
come into full communion; for which they are judged to be fit"
ted by those who examine them, but are deterred from approach-
ing it by doubts and fears of their own concerning their fitness
for it; and that they are in fact prepared to bring up their chil-

(ciPee Results of three Synod?, pp. 50, 51, or Magnalia, Book 5, p. 64.

(dy In tlie records.

(e) Cburch Records, vol. 2, 14th and 26th January 1787.

8

68

dren in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and are truly
willing to submit themselves, and their children, when they come
to maturity, to "the watch, discipline and government of the
Church."^

The numbers recorded as having been received within the
provisions of this arrangement, from time to time, are as follows.
During the mmistry of Mr. Thatcher, about nine years, 48;
from the death of Mr. Thatcher to that of Mr. Willard, twenty
nine years, 605; ^ the record of those received by Mr. Pember-
ton is not preserved; the number from thh deatli of Mr. Pember-
ton to that of Dr. Sewall, forty two years, was 297; from the
decease of Dr. Sewall to the setdement of Dr. Eckley, ten
years, 6; during Dr. Eckley's ministry, nearly thirty two years,
62; from the death of Dr. Eckley to Hblffif of Mr. Huntington,
nearly eight years, 6. In all, 1013. Since the decease of Mr.
Huntington, that is for more than ten years past, there has been
no instance of application for admission to this covenant.

6. In THE ADMISSION OF PERSONS TO FULL COMMUNION,

there has always been required a previous examination; and a
public profession of faith, and entering into covenant with God
and the church; though diis examination and profession have, at
different times, been made on different principles and in differ-
ent forms. For a series of years after the formation of the
church, the scriptural principle was strictly adhered to, viz. satis-
factory evidence of regeneration. Before the commencement
of the last century, as stated in the morning, this vital principle
was extensively abandoned by the New England churches; and
the opinion received and practised upon, that "sanctification is not
a necessary qualification to partaking of the Lord's Supper,"
and that "the Lord's Supper is a converting ordinance." This
sentiment had more or less influence on the practice of this
church from before 1740 till 1808; since which time the ancient
and scriptural principle has been carefully applied. For several
years after the formation of the church, persons applying for ad-
mission to full communion, having previously been carefully ex-
amined by the pastor and other ofiicers of the church, gave, be-
fore the whole church, a verbal or written statement, as they
should prefer, of their religious views and experience; after
which they retired, and their application was considered and de-
cided upon by the brethren; and, subsequently, the candidates,
if admitted, took the covenant. In 1678, it was voted by the
church, "that it shall be left to tlie discretion of the eldership,^

It) The half-way-covenant is now discontinued, or formally abrogated, by all the evan-
gelical Congregational churches of New-England.

(g) The reason why Mr. Willard received so many on the half-way -covenant doubtless
^ was, that no otiier church in Boston but his practised upon it till about 1675, when Increase
Mather, having concurred with the decisions of the Synod of l(3{ii2, published in their i»vor.
The First Church did not, as already stated, begin to practice on this plan till 1730.

(h) That is, the pastor and ruling elder or ruling ciders.

59

in case any that desire fellowship with the church, through scru-
ple of conscience, shall be unwilling to consent that his relation
shall be read before the church, apprehending it not to be ac-
cording to rule to require it, and they shall otherwise judge
him a person desirable for communion, — ^that the relation of
such person or persons given to the elders, and by them attested
to the church, shall be received as if it had been made before
the church, provided that in other cases the common and con-
stant practice shall be attended." ^ Still however a verbal or
written relation continued to be given in before the whole church
by the applicant himself till about the beginning of the last cen-
tury; after which the number became greater and greater who
chose to avail themselves of the liberty given by the vote just
recited; and it became the common practice for the minister to
give in the relation, which seems still, in most cases, to have
been written by the candidate. In March 1769, a short con-
fession of faith was adopted to be publicly assented to, instead of
"a relation of experience," previous to admission and the taking of
the covenant. (64) In Nov. of the same year, in consideration of
the fact that the form of admission prescribed the preceding March
did "not admit such persons as were seeking admission to full
communion to give a voluntary profession of their faith in their own
terms," it was determined "that such persons as might thereafter
seek admission to full communion, should, previous to their ad-
mission, give to tlie church, orally or in writing, a profession of
their repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ, of their belief of the Scriptures, and of their resolution,
by the grace of God, to walk according to them." At the
same time was adopted the form of covenant now in use. After
a time, — ^how long after does not appear, — it became the practice
for the pastor to give in verbally the profession required by the
vote last quoted, in behalf of the candidate for admission. — ^The
method now practised is, for persons, after repeated conversa-
tions with the pastor respecting their evidences of regeneration
and views of Christian doctrine and duty, — ^by which he has be-
come satisfied that tliere is, from these sources, no valid objec-
tion to their admission, — ^to be exammed by a Standing Com-
mittee of five members beside the minister. If their examina-
tion is satisfactory to the Committee, and if, upon inquiry, noth-
ing is discovered unfavorable to their character, they are pro-
pounded, one fortnight before the church, and one fortnight
more before the whole congregation. Then, if no valid objec-
tion has been made to their admission, they present themselves
before the whole church, and the pastor gives a statement of the
results of tlie several conversations had with them; and the

(I) Church records, vol. i, p. 6. «■

60

brethren, if satisfied, vote to receive them; and they, publicly
and solemnly, take upon them God's holy covenant.

The numbers recorded as having been received, from time to
time, to full communion, are as follows. From the formation of
the church, including the founders, to the death of Mr. Thatcher,
217; firom the decease of Mr. Thatcher to that of Mr. Willard,
406; from the death of Mr. Willard to that of Mr. Pemberton,
110; from the decease of Mr. Pemberton to that of Dr. Sewall,
730; from Dr. Sewall's death to the setdement of Dr. Eckley,
52; during Dr. Eckley's ministry, 185; from the death of Dr.
Eckley to that of Mr. Huntington, 175; since the decease of
Mr. Huntington, 432. In all, 2307. ^ — ^You are doubtless sur-
prised at the smallness of the number. Only 2307 in one hun-
dred and sixty one years ! To this ought, undoubtedly, to be
made some addition for obvious omissions in the record. But

Sst allowance for these will not swell the number above 2500.
die causes of the smallness of this number ai-e inquired for,
•there is no doubt that a prominent one has been the fact, already
mentioned, that for a long period, the church an,d its pastors
acted on the erroneous principle that evidence of regeneration is
not a necessary qualification for church membership. It is a re-
sult, at ^st view surprismg, but exceedingly instructive, and con-
firmed by abimdant experience, that lowering the terms of com-
munion always diminishes the number of applications, and strict-
ness on this subject is uniformly found to multiply admissions.
The lax principle had more or less influence on admissions to
this church above ninety years. ^ During that period occurred
the great revival of 1740, and another less powerful in 1 755 and
6. Yet the admissions were only 915. It is now twenty two
years since the ancient and scriptural principle has been fully re-
stored. And the admissions, during diis period have been 637.
More than two thirds as many, in twenty two years, on the strict
principle; as, on the lax principle, were received in ninety
y^ars! How manifest that if our only motive were to have a large
and respectable church, we must adhere strictly to the terms of
cbnununion practised upon in the best days of our fathers, and
prescribed in the word of God. (65)

6. Another feature of great importance in the history of this
church is its habitual attention to discipline. The
watch and care, enjoined in the Scriptures and promised in its
covenant, it has, — ^with difl!erent degrees of fidelity indeed, but
without any entire interruption, — exercised over its members.
The records furnish evidence of this under the ministry of every
one of its pastors from the begmnbg. In 1746, a committee

(k) Giving an average of 14 and a fraction a year.

(1) Previously to Mr. Huntington'^ settlement in 1803,

61

of five was chosen, to co-operate with the pastors in this impor-
tant and often difficult duty; which committee was renewed by
annual appointment, for a series of years, probably till the dis-
persion of the church by the revolutionary war.,* In 1828,
this committee was revived, and rendered permanent, to con-
sist of five members, including the deacons; to assist the pastcH:
in attention to discipline and the examination of candidates for
admission; and to be denominated "The Church Conunittee." "*
7. Another fact claiming particular notice is, that this church
and congregation have always considered themselves entitled to

KNOW DEFINITELY, AND HAVE TAKEN SUITABLE MEASURES
TO ASCERTAIN, THE RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS OP THOSE
WHOM THEY CALLED TO BE THEIR MINISTERS. FoF this

purpose, they have not only, in all cases, before giving a minis-
ter a call, heard him preach some time on probation, — expect-
ing him, while doing so, to exliibit plainly and fully his doctrinal
views; but they have required his express assent to the system
of doctrine usually denominated evangelical. Were the records
as fiill previous to the settlement of Mr. Prince, as they are
since that period, evidence might, probably, be presented of the
correctness of this statement in application to the settlement of
all the ministers fi:om the beginning. At least since the setde-
ment of Mr. Gumming, the following has been the uniform

Eractice in this particular. The pastor elect having signified
is acceptance of the call, attends a meeting of the church,
where his testimonials are exhibited, and he declares his consent
to the "Confession of Faith owned and consented unto by the
Elders and Messengers of the churches convened at Boston in
1680;" afia* which he is received a member of the church.
These proceedings of the church are then reported to the socie-
ty, and directed to be recorded in their minutes, as a necessary
preliminary to their concurring with the church in arrangements
for the ordination.

How necessary and wise arfe these precautions, will be at once
reahzed by every one who duly considers how vitally the relig-
ious sentiments and character of a people depend on those
of their ministers. A revival of sound doctrine and practice
may emanate from the people; but corruptions in either always
begin with, and are chiefly accomplished by, the ministry. Al-
ways, therefore, insist upon knowing, definitely and fully, thd
doctrinal sentiments of those whom you think of settling over
you, and upon having satisfactory evidence of their real piety,
and of their love and devotedness to the appropriate duties of
their sacred office. It is your right; and it is the very life
of the church, and of the society as a religious association. (66)

(m) See Church records, vol. i. p. 106, &c.
(n) SeeCburcb records, vol. iii. p. 77.

62

8. There is another fact, suggested by these last remarks, which
historical fidelity will not permit me to pass unnoticed. It has been
perceived, firom the details already given in these discourses,

that A GREAT CHANGE HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE RELATIONS
OP THIS CHURCH TO THE OTHER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES
IN THIS CITY FORMED BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE

PRESENT CENTURY. Formerly there was the closest union;
evinced by a constant interchange of all the acts of ecclesias-
tical and ministerial communion. Eighteen or twenty years ago,
this interchange began to be less frequent; and, for some time
past, has entirely ceased. In 1819, — it having become common
tor Councils composed of representatives of those churches
and others of similar views, to induct persons into the ministry
without any examination in reference to doctrinal belief and per-
sonal religion, and the then pastor of this church having, while
sitting on such councils, been repeatedly denied the privilege of
putting questions, relating to the particulars just named, to can-
didates for ordmation, — ^the church decided, on the 4th of April
in that year, to accept no more invitations to such councils. "
And no invitations have since been received. About two years
before his death, Mr, Huntington made his last exchange with
a minister of one of those congregations. And I have been as-
sured from the best authority — ^his lamented widow, — ^that he
had decided, never again, be the consequences what they might,
to make another such exchange. And such another has never
since been made.

This state of things, — we hope we shall be believed when we
say, for we say it in the sincerity of our hearts, — ^we exceedingly
regret. Is it asked, then, Whence the change? The facts that
have been narrated in this sketch furnish the answer. The
cause is not found in us; but in those who have become* thus
separated from us. We stand and walk in the old paths, in
which our pious and venerated fadiers trod; and which the ex-
perience of five generations in this church and society has dem-
onstrated to be the good way; they have chosen to turn
into a widely difierent path. We, I repeat, stand and walk in
the old paths. We say it, not boastingly. Oh, no. We feel
that we have been "kept" only "by the mighty power of God."
And a voice from heaven sounds in our ear, "Let him that
thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall." And we trust,
we shall never be so unmindful of this divine admonition as, from
a regard to the alleged obligations of courtesy, or expediency,
or any other motive, to step into what we in our consciences be-

(o) See Cburch records, vol. iii. p. 4. There was an act of the church of similar import
when the present pastor was ordained. Before, in every case, all the Congregational
churches of Boston had been invited by this church to its ordaining Councils. In this in-
stance it was determined to pursue a different course. After full deliberation and discus-
sion, the church decided to adopt tho different principle in selecting the Council mentioned
in a note to the third sermon.

63

lieve to be a forbidden path. We judge no one, we condemn
no one. We yield to all the right of deciding and acting for
themselves, under their responsibility to God. And we claim
for ourselves only the same privilege. And who can doubt for
a moment that, could they now give their testimony, Thatcher,
Willard, Pemberton, Prince, Sewall, Hunt, Eckley, Huntmgton,
and the multitudes they were instrumental m fitting to worship
God and the Lamb in heaven, would approve our course?

9. Another fact worthy of special notice is, that this church
and congregation has, through its whole history, shewn itself to
be A FRIEND OP REVIVALS OF RELIGION. It has bccn repeat-
edly favor 6 d with such seasons of special blessing, most of which
have been already adverted to. The first, after the measures
adopted in 1680, on the recommendation of "the Reforming Sy-
nod;" when the additions to the church in six months were
nearly as many as they had been in the two preceding years.
The next was after the earthquake in 1727; when, in eight
months, about eighty were added to the communion. Then
came the great revival of 1740, which added more than an hun-
dred to the church. Again under the ministry of Prince and
Sewall, in 1755, and 6, there was a special attention to religion;
which, in three months, added /or^y to the communion. During
Mr. Huntington's ministry there were continual accjfjgjons, fire-
quently of five, eight, and ten persons at one time. ^Mod since,
diere have been two seasons of general attention; each of
which, in less than two years, added aiove an hundred mem-
bers. And not only has the church rejoiced in these signal
blessings when conferred; she has also, from time to time,
through the whole period of her history, made appropriate efforts
to obtain them. In her records are repeatedly found such
entries as the following, "Nov. 4, 1722, the church stayed,
and voted that the 13th of this instant should be observed by
us as a day of prayer, with fasting, to ask of God the effusion
of his Holy Spirit, particularly on the rising generation." p
"Aug. 4, 1734, the church was desired to stay, and voted that
the 20th of this instant should (God willing) be observed by us
as a day of prayer, with fasting, to humble ourselves before God
for our unfinitfulness under the means of grace, and to ask the
effusion of his Spirit to revive the power of godliness among us."
Omitting other instances, and coming down to the ministry of
Dr. Eckley, I find that, in Sept. 1795, the church voted to

(p) The occasion of this vote is mentioned by Mr. Prince, Christian History, ii, 375; and
is thus stated by Dr. Sewall in his journal. "1722, Sept. 25. It having been agreed by ye
Ministers to propose it to yr churches to keep days of fasting with prayer successively j tkiis

day a fast was kept at ye Old North, &c N. B. The design is to ask of 6. ye efiU-

sions of his Spirit, esply.on ye rising generation." "Oct. 13. This day a fast was kept at
ve Old Church." ''^Xov. 13. This day was obtserved by ye SouUi Church, as a day of
fasting with prayer," &c.

64

"concur with other churches in this and other parts of the
United States, in a quarterly concert of prayer, for the reidval
of religion, and the outpouring of God's Spirit, on the people
of America, as well as other places of the world." ^ And in
Jan. 1823, the church, at a full meeting, unanimously voted, to
"observe a day of fasting and prayer, to humble themselves be-
fore God for their sins, to seek direction as to their duty in
endeavoring to promote the work of God, and to supplicate the
more plentBid effusions of his Holy Spirit." '

These are emphatically "the old paths;" for thus the primitive
disciples were engaged while, in compliance with the Saviour's
direction, they were waiting for the promise of the Spirit. And
to feel deeply that this is "the good way," — ^we need only to
recal the conviction we had in the morning of the value and
indispensableness of revivals of religion, and to be informed
that, like the Christians who met m die upper chamber at Jeru-
salem, this church has found that such means faithfully used
are never in vain.

10. I add that this church and congregation have habitu-
ally APPROVED AND AIDED THE ENTERPRISES OF BENEVO-
LENCE. The early records abound with votes like the following.
The specim^i I select is from the record of a meeting held a
short tiam-. before it was finally determined to take down the
first MecSi%"House, and erect this expensive building. " Votedj
that twenty jptmnds be delivered to Deacon Henchman, for the
purchasing of Bibles, to be distributed to the proper objects, as
there shall be occasion; that ten pounds be distributed in otiber
books, at the discretion of the trustees; that twenty pounds be
given to Mr. Josiah Cotton, to encourage his settlement at Prov-
idence; that Jifteen pounds he given to the Rev. Mr. Matthew
Short of Easton, for his encouragement in the work of the min-
istry: thsX fifteen pounds be given to the Rev. Mr. James Hale
of Ashford, for his encouragement in the work of the ministry;
ihsijyieen pounds be given to the Rev. Mr. Nathaniel Prentice
of Dunstable, for his encouragement in the work of the minis-
try, to be laid out in books as the trustees shall judge proper

(q) This was the Concert extensively obserred, in Great Britain and in this country, for
a series of years, in consequence of a proposal from a number of ministers in Scotland
in 1744, for ^'United Extraordinary Prayer to God, that he would deliver the nations from
their miseries, and fill the earth with his glory." The proposal was "that Christians uni-
versally should, for the two years then next ensuing, set apart a portion of time, on
Saturday evening and Sabbath morning, every week, to beispent in prayer for this purpoee;
and that they should still more solemnly devote the first Tuesday in the last month of each
quaKter of the year, to be spent, either in private, social or public prayer to Grod, for the be-
stowment of those blessings on the world." The proposal was seconded by the publicaticm,
in 1746, of President Edwards' Humble Attempt to Promote Explicit Agreement and VisiUe
Union among God's people in Extraordinary Prayer, &c. The measure was pursued by
many churches for more than half a century, and only discontinued on the adoption of the
more frequent Monthly Concerts, for the same purpose, first proposed by a Baptist associa-
tion in England in 1784. See Dwight's Life of President Edwards, pp. 243—246.

(r) This solemnity was concluded by a renewal of covenant by the whole church. Seasons
of special humiliation and prayer, for a similar purpose, have several times siace been ob-
served by the church.

66

upon discoursing with him." And about three months after, at
a meeting at which several votes were passed in relation to
funds to build the new Meeting House, I find the following,
"Voted thai fifteen pounds be given to Joseph Secombe, towards
his support at the college." * And so I might read on to you,
in relation to every year, almost down to the revolution.

Stated and liberal contributions to promote, in different ways,
the spread of rehgion, are not, you perceive, so modem a de-
vice as is sometimes supposed. Here was a Bible Society, a
Tract Society, a Missionary Society, an Education Society,
more than an hundred years ago, all combined in one associa-
tion; and that association was die Old South church and con-
gregation. And in contemplating this interesting fact, you are,
doubdess, presented with one principal reason of the remarkable
preservation and ahnost uninterrupted prosperity of this church.
She has firom the beginning felt it to be a blessed privilege to
water others; and God has, in faithfuldess to his promise, pour-
ed out upon her the continual dew of his blessing. How resist-
less the argument in this respect also, to walk still in "the old
paths?"

And now, brethren of this church and congregation, what
shall be the influence of the review we have taken, upon our
feelings and conduct?

Suffer me, first, to congratulate you upon the circumstances
in which you have arrived at this interesting point in your his-
tory. This building has stood an hundred years. And, in the
ordinary course of providence, it may stand an hundred more.
How pleasing, and yet how solemn, the thought, that these walls,
which now echo thb voice, have resounded with the instructions
and petitions and praises of generations whose lips have long
been silent in death, and whose spirits are far advanced along
the ages of eternity; and that here, our children and chil-
dren's children shall sit, under the means which God has
instituted and habitually blessed to prepare men for mansions in
the skies. And this church still lives, the sam)^ in doctijne and
discipline, that has fitted so many generations for the pure wor-
ship of heaven; and, we are permitted to hope, will still live,
even till its members shall rejoice in the brightness of millennial
glory. Of those in the midst of whom she anciently stood,
built upon the faith which made our fathers such holy and won-
derful men, she alone remains, on that foundation, firm and
unmoved: and there we are permitted to hope she will remain,

(s) These and similar donations were the avails of collections on each fast and thanksgiv-
ing day, to be devoted to "pious uses, for the advancement of Christ** kingdom, and other
proper objects of charity.**

I

66

till all around shall be brought back to the obedience and
sanctifying power of the same truth; to rejoice with her in
the assurance, that the church is built on a rock, and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Here you are
permitted, from Sabbath to Sabbath, to listen to the same Gros-
pel which the learned Thatcher, tlie powerful Willard, the elo-
quent Pemberton, the excellent Sewall, dispensed to listening
immortals. Here is shed down the same Spirit, who then made
that truth effectual in the salvation of men. And here, we trust,
win continue to be preached that same truth, with yet gi-eater
fidelity, and to be poured out that same Spirit, with yet greater
firequency and power. From this spot has gone forth, for an
hundred and sixty, years, an influence, that has blessed surround-
ing multitudes, and diffused itself over the earth. And this in-
fluence, we are permitted to believe, is still to go forth, with in-
creasing power, and sending back richer blessings, till the do-
minion of truth and holiness shall be established in every nation
and in every heart. Oh, what exalted privileges! what distin-
gubhing mercies!

And now is there in any breast the least rising of that feeling,
which once led those similarly favored to say, "The temple of
the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are
these?" Profane not thus, I beseech you, this sacred place.
Tarnish not thus the mantle that has fallen upon us from our
fathers, as, fi*om this spot, they went up to heaven. Provoke
not thus a righteous God to frown upon us, and take away
his distinguishing mercies. Far, very far from us, I am sure,
will be every such feeling, if we rightly consider our circum-
stances and relations. On my own mind, allow me to say, no
impression has been so constant and deep, while I have been
preparing and deliverbg these discourses, as that of our im-
mense^ our avful responsibility. To assemble, from week to
week, on a spot where the Gospel has been preached in its
puri^ to five successive generations; where the Holy Ghost has
so often manifested his special and sanctifying presence; where
have been seen by Him who looketh into the heart, so many
sighs of penitence, so many actings of faith, so many breathings
oi pure devotion; where the Most High has had his rest for an
hundred and sixty years; and hundreds and thousands of souls
have been fitted to stand and worship before his throne: — Oh,
how dreadful is this place! It is none other than the house of
God. It is the gate of heaven.

And to have transmitted to us such a character,— of love for
the truth, of zeal for the faith once delivered to the saints, of
holy solicitude for the preservation of the institutions of Christ,
of deep conviction of the necessity and blessedness of revivals of

67

religion, of prayerfiilness and efibrt for the extension of the Re-
deemer's kingdom! To stand alone, of all the ancient churches
around, on the first foundation, the only one of them all that b
walking in the old paths; looked to by multitudes to see what is
the influence of these Puritan principles, these antiquated opin-
ions! To have been the objects of those fervent prayers diat,
for nearly two centuries, have gone up to heaven, for a continu-
ous blessing, in successive generations, on this church and con-
gregation! What solemnity of circumstances and relations! what
awful responsibility!

Oh, minister. Christians, members of this religious society!
remember where you stand; what relations you sustain; what
responsibilities press upon you; what watching and expectation
cluster around you, from the whole church, from the world,
from glorified saints and holy angels, from the omniscient and
righteous God. Be clothed with humility. Live — only to ask,
Lord, what wilt thou have us to do? and cheerfully to execute
his wiU. Preserve to this people, in coming generations, the
pure, imadulterated truth of God, by which alone he renovates
and sanctifies the soul. Guard with the utmost vigilance, every
avenue to its corruption; resist the very beginning of every ap-
proach towards its perversion. Continue the ordinances of
Christ sacred and inviolate. Strive, by every method, to bring
up your children for God; that there may be a holy generation
to assume your responsibilities when you go to give up your ac-
count. Remember that revivals of religion, — genuine, frequent
revivals, — are the only hope of the church in this age. Prize
them when granted to you. Seek them, earnestly, faithfully,
continually. Live, — ^not to yourselves; but for the church of
Christ, for the perishing world, for the glory of God. — ^And
another century shall come; and find this church, with "the
glory of the Lord resting upon her; fair as the moon, clear as
die sun, and terrible as an army with banners." Yes, we be-
lieve it: for our confidence is in our fathers' God; and their ex-
perience assures us that confidence shall never be reposed in
vain.

Another century shall come! Where will then be the families
and individuals that now compose this congregation? The crowd
that thronged this House when first occupied for the worship of
Grod; — ^where are they? The eight mmisters that have since stat-
edly preached within these walls; and the thousands who, in suc-
cession, have attended on their ministrations; — ^where are they? In
the memory of some, now present, the occupants of nearly every
one of these seats have changed. In the few years that I have
served you in the Gospel, how many of this beloved people have
I been. called, by solemn prayer, to commit to the silent tomb?

68

«

In what quick succession are these survivors to foDow them to
tlie bar of (Jod!

And yet, there are those here, unprepared to die; living in
impenitence; trifling away the day of grace: — sitting here, —
where the seeds of blessing have been scattered abundantly for
an hundred and sixty years; where innumerable prayers have
gone up to Jehovah's throne, and laid hold, in their behalf, on
those assurances given in his word of his readiness to pour his
blessing on all who will open their hearts to receive it; — ^where
the Holy Spirit has so often come down like copious showers;
where his blessed influence is now descending like drops that
precede an abundance of rain! HerCy are sitting dying immor-
tals, impenitent, unmoved!

Oh, from this favored spot, to go unprepared to the bar of
God! from this privileged, exalted place, to go down to eternal
death! "My dearly beloved, and longed for, in the bowels of
Jesus Christ;" my affectionate, dying people; be persuaded, one
and all, immediately to escape that doom. Gome, give your
hearts to Christ; and go, with your pious and venerated fathers,
to reign with him in heaven.

JfOTES.

Note 1. Page 3.

An account of the origin, nature and causes of the difference between the
old and new style may be seen in Dr. Rees' Cyclopedia, Article, Style, vol.
36, Part 1, or in the New Edinburgh EncyclopcBdia, Article, Chronology^
No. 11, p. 252.

According to the old style, the year began on Annunciation or Lady-dav,
i. e. the 25m of March, which was, hence, called the^r^ month, April the
second month, July the fifth month, and September, October, &c., as their
names indicate, the seventh month, the eighth month, &c. One alteration
made by the new style was, changing the commencement of the year to
the first of January. Another alteration was in the length of the year.
The old style went upon the assumption that the solar year, or time of one
revolution of the earth round the sun, is 365 days, 6 nours; whereafthe
real time is 365 days, 5 hours, 48', 45i". The old style, therefore, made
the year too long by 11', 14i"; which amounted to a whole day in 130 years.
The old stjle was established by Julias Ceesar, 46 years before the Christian
era. The new style was introduced, by a brief of Pope Gregory XIII, in
1582. The time as computed had then advanced ten days beyond the true
time. It was therefore ordered that ten days should be stricken from the
month of October in the year 1582, and the next day after the fourth of that
month be called the fifteenth. These alterations were not adopted in Eng-
land, and of course not in New England, till 1752; when the difference be--
tween the computed and the true time had increased to about eleven days.
It was therefore ordered, by act of Parliament, that eleven days should be
striken from the month of September in that year, and the third of that
month be reckoned \h& fourteenth. All the civilized nations of Europe and
America at present use the new style, except the Russians; in reducing
whose dates to our own, we must now strike out twelve days. The rule
commonly observed for reducing old style to new is this: if the date accord-
ing to the old style is in the present century, carry it forward twelve days;
if it is in the last or eighteenth century, carry it forward eleven days; if in
the seventeenth century, carry it forward ten days, &c.

Note 2. Page 4.

That there was a real union between church and state is proved by the
following facts. From almost the very beginning of the colony of Afassa-
chusetts, as is mentioned a sentence or two after in the sermon, no man
could have any share in the administration of the civil government, or give

70

his voice in any election, unless he was a member of one of the churches.*
No church could be gathered without the allowance of the magistrates, con-
sisting of and elected by members of the churches; and a minister for preach-
ing to such a society, was liable to a penalty. All persons subject to taxa-
tion, whether church members or not, except in the town of Boston, were
compelled to contribute to the support of ministers chosen by the churches.
Regulations were prescribed by the General Court in reference to the calling
of ministers and the erection of places of worship, which must be conformed
to under penalty of fine or imprisonment. When difficulties occurred in
churches, the civil authority often interposed, in different forms, for their
removal. All who were able, were required, under a penalty, to attend on
the authorized public worship. No matters of great weignt o^ moment,
whether of a civil or religious nature, were determined without the advice
of the ministers and a formal reference to them; they being generally pres-
ent, in early times, in the courts. Synods were called by order of the Gen-
eral Court; and their results commended by legislative acts to the people,
and ordered to be observed. The first laws deprived excommunicated per-
sons, and a whole church if separated from the rest, of all civil privileges.
In 1638, a law was made that if any person stood excommunicated six
months, he should be liable to fine, imprisonment or banishment, as the
Court of Assistants should determine; but it was repealed the next year.—
Here surely was a real union between church and state, a real establishment
of the Congregational churches.

Yet there was, as I have aaidy a. radical difference in the form of the con-
nexion between the state and the churches here, and between the church
and state in the mother country. Here there were many churches, nearly
independent of each other; there the church was one body. Here the
churches elected their own pastors; there ministers were imposed by the
civil government or by patrons. Here the civil government never assumed
or exercised the power of deciding on matters ofdoctrine and discipline, but
always called together representatives of the churches freely chosen to de-
termine such matters; there they were determined and established ulti-
mately by the civil power. Here if the proceedings of the magistrates were
supposed to bear hard on the liberties of the churches, they could be, and
sometimes were, displaced at the next annual election; there there was, in
such cases, no redress. In contemplating these points of difference, the re-
flecting reader will have discerned the elements of the wise provisions, in
regard to the relations of church and state, subsequently adopted and now
existing in this country. t

The deference paid to the clergy, and their influence in civil as well as
reliffious affairs, for some time after the establishment of the colonies, will
not be censured or accounted strange by those who will duly consider the
following circumstances mentioned by Dr. Trumbull, in his history of Con-
necticut, when accounting for these facts. Having remarked that ''the
most perfect harmony subsisted between the legislature and the clergy, like
Moses and Aaron, they walked together in the most endearing friendship;"
he proceeds thus, "The governors, magistrates and leading men were their
spiritual children, and esteemed and venerated them as their fathers in Christ.
As they had loved and followed them into the wilderness, they zealously
supported their influence. The clergy had the highest veneration for them,
and spared no pains to maintain their authority and government. Thus they
grew in each other's esteem and brotherly anection, and mutually support-
ed and increased each other's influence an4 usefulness. Many of the cler-
gy who first came into the country had good estates, and assisted their poor
brethren and parishioners, in their straits, in making new settlements. The

* And yet many who were church members, and might have been made freemen at any
time, declined taking the freemen's oatfa^ giving as a reason their unwillingness to serve in
any civil office. This, I am informed, is expressly mentioned in the records of the Gen-
eral Court.

t Those who wish to inquire further into the nature and influence of the connexion early
tubsisting between the churches and the state in the New England colonies, may consult
Wiatbrop's Journal, Morton's New England Memorial, Hutchinson's History of Massacha-
setts, Tramboll's History of Connecticut.

71

people were then far more dependant on their ministers than they have been
since. The proportion of learned men was much less then than at the pre-
sent time. The clergy possessed a very great proportion of the literature
of the colony. They were the principal instructors of the young gentle-
men^who were liberally educated, before they commenced members of col-
lege," and they assisted them in their studies afterwards. They instructed
and furnished others for public usefulness, who had not a public education.
They had given a striking evidence of their integrity and self-denial, in
emigrating into this rough and distant country, for the sake of religion, and
were faitmul and abundant in their labors. By their example, counsels,
exhortations, and money, they assisted and encouraged the people. Besides,
the people who came into the country with them, had a high relish for the
word and ordinances. They were exiles and fellow sufferers in a strange
land. All these circumstances combined to give them an, uncommon in-
fluence over their hearers, of all ranks and characters." History of Connec-
ticut, i, 28, New Haven, 1818.

Instead of blaming our fathers for establishing such a connexion as they
did between church and state, we have cause to wonder that they establish-
ed so much of a distinction. JVb instance of a nation without an established
religion J of a complete separation between chturch and state, had ever yet exist-
ed. Our fathers, moreover, as a body, came to this wilderness solely to ob-
tain the unmolested enjoyment and exercise of what they considered Chris-
tian privileges and duties. With this object in view they had purchased
the country, and procured a charter, and made so many sacrifices. In the
mother country ail their sufferings had proceeded from the tyrannizing of
the civil power over the church. How natural for them to resolve when
they came here, to keep the civil power subordinate to the churches, an in-
strument of promoting their prosperity? And how natural, with this view,
and to render the accomplishment of their object sure, to say to others who
should come here with different views and practices, 'The country is wide
enough, go and seek a residence for yourselves and your principles else-
where?'* The candid and judicious, who are acquainted with the his-
tory of our fathers and of the times in which they lived, will never be found
censuring and condemning, much less railing at them, on account of their
errors; they will wonder at the profound wisdom, the extent and correct-
ness of views, the nobleness and disinterestedness of principle, at such a
time and in such circumstances, displayed by those wonderful men, — to
whom, and to those of a kindred spirit in Great Britain, the world is indebt-
ed, under God, for all the civil and religious liberty now existing among
the nations.

Let us be careful, however, to secure, and diffuse, and transmit to poster-
ity the instructive lesson furnished by the result of their experiment. It
was an experiment of the influence of a union between church and state
made in circumstances the most favorable for the church, that have ever
yet existed. The churches of Massachusetts were all originally uncorrupt
and scriptural in doctrine and discipline, and composed of eminently pious
men,. who lived, and were ever ready to sacrifice every thing, for the king-
dom of Christ, and whose wisdom has been the admiration of the candid of
all succeeding generations. These wise and holy men established all our
early civil and ecclesiastical institutions, with the express design of making
every thing contribute to the preservation and purity and extended influ-
ence of the churches. And now, in less than two hundred years, what is
the result'* Not only has a flood of error come in, and desolated the portion
of their heritage which our pious fathers cultivated with the greatest care,
and made the college which they devoutly consecrated Ho Christ and his

k

* Cotton Matbmays, when speaking of the proceedings against theCluakers in 1656—60,
(Magnalia, Book 7, p. 34,) "It was also thought that the very Quakers themselves would
say. that if they had got into a corner of the world, and, with an immense toil and charge^
made a wilderness habitable, on purpose there to be undisturbed in the exercises of their
worship, they would never bear to have the New-Englanders come among them, and inter-
rupt their public worship, and endeavor to seduce their children from it, yea, and repeat
such endeavors after mild entreaties first, and then just banishments, to oblige thetar depart-
ure."

72

Church/ the principal instrument of maintaining and diffusing that error;
but the churches themselves have been declared, by judicial decisions
having all the force of law, to have no legal rights or existence independent
of the civil corporations — the towns or parishes, with which they are con-
nected. "The only circumstance," say these decisions, "which gives a
church any legal character, is its connexion with some regularly constituted
society,** "A church cannot subsist without some religious community to
which it is attached." "As to all civil purposes, the secession of a whole
church from a parish, would be an extinction of the church; and it is compe-
tent to the meiTwers of the parish to institute a new church, or to engraft one
upon the old stock, if any of it should remain; and this new church would
succeed to all the riglvts of the old in relation to the parish." Mass. Term
Reports, xvi, 504. — Such is the result of a union between church and state,
in circumstances the most favorable for the church that have ever yet ex-
isted! When will the professed followers of Christ learn the full import of
that declaration, "My kingdom is not of this world.?" When will the
churches of Christ learn to rely only on themselves and their King.'* Then,
and not till then, will he accomplish for them all that he hath promised.

Note 3. Page 4.

It has indeed been assumed by high authority, and most important results
made to turn on the assumption, that, at first, all or nearly all the inhab-
itants were church members. "There was no familiar distinction, at that
time, between the church and the whole assembly of Christians in the
town." "The presumption is, that almost, if not quite, all the adult
inhabitants were church members." "For several years afler our an-
cestors came here, there appeared to be little practical distinction be-
tween church and congregation." "Before 1G41, without doubt, the
whole assembly were considered the church." Mass. Term Reports, xvi,
498, 514. But never was a material statement made more directlv in the
face of evidence. Hutchinson says in his History, i. 25, 26, "The first
General Court was held the 19th of October; not by a representative,
but by eveiy one that was free of the corporation in person. None
had been admitted freemen since they lefl £ngland." "One hundred
and nine freemen were admitted at this Court. Maverich, Blackstone,
and mamt more who were not of any of the churches, were of the num-
her,** There were then many wno came over with those who were
firee of the corporation before they lefl England, who were not
church members. On the page last referred to, is the following note.
"None may be a freeman of that company unless he be a church member
among them. None have voice in elections of governor, deputy and assist-
ants, none are to be magistrates, ofEcers, or jurymen grand or petit, but free-
men. The ministers give their votes in^l elections of magistrates. JVoio
the most of the persons at New England are not admitted of their church, and
therefore are not freemen; and wnen they come to be tried there, be it for
life or limb, name or estate, or whatsoever, they must be tried, and judged
too, by those of the church, who are in a sort their adversaries. . How
equal that hath been or may be, some by experience do know, others may
judge. Leechford.** This testimony is no doubt to be received with some
allowance, as it is from one who suffered under and complained bitterly,
of the regulations which he describes. See Hutch, i. 451. Yet when
due allowance has been made, it proves that there were, from the begin-
ning, many who were not church members. Tn 1646, sixteen years afler the
commencement of the Massachusetts colony, the number of those not con-
nected with the churches in Plymouth and Massachusetts was so great,
that they petitioned the General Courts of both colonies, and prepared peti-
tions to the British Parliament, praying, as they say, in behalf m** thousands,**
that the disabilities under which they labored might be removed. See
Hutch, i. 145—149.

Note 4. Page 5.

The dispute as carried on in Connecticut is thus stated by Trumbull.
"Meanwhile there was a strong party in the colony at Connecticut, who

73

were for admitting all persons of a regular life to a full communion in the
churches, upon their making a profession of the Christian religion, without
any inquiry with respect to a change of heait; and for treating all baptized
persons as members of the church. Some carried the affair still farther,
and insisted that all persons who had been members of churches in Eng-
land, or had been members of regular ecclesiastical parishes there, and sup-
ported the public worship, should be allowed to enjoy the privileges of
members in full communion in the churches of Connecticut. They also
insisted, that all baptized persons, upon owning the covenant, as it was
called, should have their children baptized, though they came not to the
Lord's table." i, 297, 298. And a little after he says: There were now
"many" of the "children" of the first settlers, and "others who had since
emigrated into this country," who "had made no open profession of religion,
fMid their children were not baptized. This created uneasiness in them,
in their ministers, and others. They wished for the honars and privileges of
church members for themselves, and baptism for their children; but they
were not persuaded that they were regenerated, and knew not how to com-
ply^ with the rigid terms of the Congregational churches," pp. 298,299.
Hubbard in his manuscript history of JVlassachusetts, referring to 1G56, says,
"Baptism unto this time had been administered unto those children OTdy^
whose immediate parents were admitted into full communion in the
churches where they lived: but now the country came to be increased, and
sundry families were found, that had children born in them, whose immediate
parents had never attempted to join to anv of the churches to which they
belonged, and yet were very much unsatisfied that they could not obtain
baptism for their children: tne cause occasioned many debates between the
ministers of the country." In the progress of the dispute, baptism and
the alledged spiritual relations and advantage of children came, as was
natural, to be the topics most spoken of. But every one who attentively
examines the subject will be convinced that the dispute was originated,
and in its whole progress greatly influenced, by what Trumbull describes as
a "wish for the honors and privileges of church-members."

Note 5. Page 6.

Their determination on this subject was expressed in the following terms,
"That it is the duty of infants who confederate in their parents, when grown
up unto years of discretion, though not yet fit for the Lord's Supper, to own
the covenant they made with their parents, by entering thereinto in their
own persons: and it is the duty of the church to call upon them for
the performance thereof; and if, being called upon, they shall refuse the
performance of this great duty, or otherwise continue scandalous, they are
liable to be censured for the same by the church. And in case they un-
derstand the grounds of religion, and are not scandalous, and solemnly
own the covenant in their own persons, wherein they give up both them-
selves and their children unto the Lord, and desire baptism lor them, we
see not sufficient cause to deny baptism unto their children." Magna*
lia, Book 5, p. 63.

Note 6. Page 6.

It was "1. They that according to Scripture, are members of the visible
church, are the subjects of baptism. 2. The members of the visible church,
according to Scripture are confederate visible believers in particular
churches, and their infant seed, i. e. children in minority, whose next par-
ents, one or both, are in covenant. 3. The infant seed of confederate visible
believers are members of the same church with their parents, and, when
grown up, are personally under the watch, discipline and government of
that church. 4. These adult persons are not therefore to be admitted [to
full communion, merely because they are and continue members, without
such further qualifications as the word of God requireth thereunto. 6.
Church-members who were admitted in minority, understanding the doc-
trine offtith, and publicly professing their assent thereto, not scandalon*
in life, and solemnly owning tUe covenant before the church, wherein

10

J

74

they giro up themselves and their children to the Lord, and subject them-
selres to the government of Christ in the church, their children are to be
baptized." And two other articles relating, to children whose parents de-
ceased without offering them in baptism, and to the children of members of
one church being baptized in another. Magnalia, Book 5, p. 64. The
same vear, 1662, that these ecclesiastical proceedings took place, one effect
of which must have been greatly to extend the privilege or becoming free-
men, a letter from king Charles II, required that "all the laws" of the col-
ony "should be reviewed, and such alterations made that, among other
things, all freeholders of competent estates, not vicious &c. though of differ-
ent persuasions concerning church government, should have their votes in
the election of all officers civil and military." This requisition was not
then complied with. In 1664, arrived commissioners from the King, "for
▼isiting the colonies in New England, hearing and determining all matters
of complaint, and settling the peace and security of the country." These
commissioners demanded immediate attention to the king's letter of 1662:
and the .General Court accordingly, in August 1664, "repealed the law re-
lating to the admission of freemen and instead of it provided another, that
allowed English subjects being freeholders ratable to a certain value, certi-
tified by the minister of the place to be orthodox and not vicious in their
lives, to be made freemen although not members of the church. Hutchin-
son, i, 222, 231.

NoTB 7. Page 7.

Cotton Mather says, (Magnalia, Book 5, p. 82,) that upon the first church
applying to Mr. Davenport, "thirty brethren of that eminent church offered
several reasons of their dissent from their call to that worthy person; where-
of one was in these terms, "We should walk contrary to Kev. iii, 3., not
holding fast what we have received: nor should we, as we have receiv-
ed Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. [The doctrine of the Svnod]
it having been a received and professed truth, by the body of the church
who have voted it in the affirmative, and that, after much patience with
and candor towards those that were otherwise minded; divers days having
been spent about this great ^eTi^ro^ion truth, which since hath been confirm-
ed by the Synod. Full liberty hath also been granted unto those who scru-
{ded to propose their questions: and they were answered with such pub-
ic satisfaction that those few who remained unsatisfied, promised to sit
down and leave the body to act, excepting one or two. Accordingly there
was an entrance upon the woi4: but the Lord lay it not to the charge of
those that hindered progress therein, which, with gieat blessing and success,
has been and is practiced in neighbor churches." i

Note 8. Page 7.

It is not known that any complete copies of the letters that passed be-
tween the church in Boston and that in New Haven are now in existence.
A second letter, it seems, was sent, soon after the answer was received to
the first, from the church in Boston to the church in New Haven, and an
answer returned. Again, Aug. 1669, it appears from the Records of the
First Church, p. 31, that the Boston church voted to send a messenger to New
Haven to endeavor to prevail on the church there to "declare their owning
of the letter sent from them to this church to be a true dismission of Mr.
Davenport." The messenger, it seems, took with him a third letter from the
church in Boston to that in New Haven. Among the papers of the Old
South Church I have found two leaves, paged 148, 149, 154, 155, of some
manuscript volume, on which is written what appears to be parts of
the reply of the church in New Haven to this third letter from the
church in Boston. On the top of the last page is written "D. Dismission."
A portion of it purports to be a quotation of the most material part of the
first letter from the church in New Haven. It is as follows. — "yet the
church of New Haven is not soe; and though you iudg it the last expe-
dient for JOT reliefe, and remidy of some evils growing in ye country, as
also we might doe the same, if we had nothing before or eyes but his ac-
complishments and ffittness for high service to God in his church; but, being

75

BOG much in the darke ahout his way in leaving this church and joynlng to
yor's, that we are not without doubts and feares of some uncomfortable issue,
therefore cannot clearly acte in such a way as is expected and desired. Wee
are of the same mind as when we returned an answr to yor ffirst letter, thu»
expressmg orselves, We see noe cause nor call of God to resigne or reverend
pastor to ye church of Boston, by an immediate acte of or's, therefore not by
a formall dismission under or hands. It is or great griefe and sore afflic-
tion, that we cannot doe for him (whome we soe highly esteme in love for
his work's sake and profhtable labrs among us) what is desired, without
wronge to or consciences. Any thing that we have or are beside or con-
sciences, we are ready to lay downe at his ffeet: yet, siLch is or honorMe
respect to J^im, or love to peace y or desire of yor supply ^ that toe shall g06
as far as we safely can in order to his and yor satisfacttion in this matter*
having before us for or warrent, Acts xxi, 14. When he would not be
persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. Theirfore
to suppress what we could say touching y t passage in or ffirst letter, whereof
such hold hath been taken, and what we have sayd in or last letter to you
of or revrd pastor's making null the liberty before granted, which we doubt
not we are able clearly to deipionstrate, yet, if this will sattisfiey QavX not
otherwise,) we are content to wave and bury in silence, and leav both yor-
selves and him to make what improvemt you see cause {without any dog or
impediment from us upon that account) of the liberty before mentioned."
[Here four pages are wanting. The remainder is as follows.] "to mem-
bership and taking office in yor church as he hath been a faithfull laborer
in God's vinyard ,at New Haven for many yeares, to the bringing home
of many soules to God, and building up of many others, soe it is and shall be
or prayer to God to lengthen his life and tranquility in Boston, to duble his
Spirit upon him, assist him in his worke, and maKe him a blessed instru-
ment of much ffood to y orselves and many others. The good Lord pardon,
on all hands, wnat he hath seene amisse in these actings and motions, that
ho sinfull malignancy may obstruct or hinder God's blessing upon churches
or church administrations. As himselfe and his sone have desired, we doe
dismiss unto yor holy ffelloship Mr. John Davenport Junir, and Mrs. Dav-
enport elder and younger, desiring you to receive them in the Lord as be-
cumeth saintes, and imploring almighty God for his blessing upon them
from his holly ordinances in their coraunion and walking with you. Th^^
God of all grace supply all yor and or need, according to his riches in glory
through Jesus Christ. Thus craving yor prayrs for us in or afflicted con-
dition, we take or leave, and rest yors in the ffelloship of the Gosple.

Nicholas Street, in the name and with the consent of the church
of Christ at New Haven.

12, 8®. 68. To the reverend elder of the Church of Boston^ Mr. James
Penny to be communicated to ye church.''

Then follows, on the bottom of the page, these notes in another hand, —
"The Elder labouring to convince, 24, 4, 69, Mr. James Allen [minister g^f
the First Church] of his iniquity of dealing deceitfully about theLletter from
N. Haven, and in saying Mr. t)avenport was innocent in that matter, he
acknowled^ yt Mr. L>. knew the matter as much as he and his unckle, and
yt he had sinned in saying Mr. D. * * * * *

Note 9. Page 8.

The date of their application for a dismission is not preserved. It was
doubtless not long before the proceedings described in the following ex-
tracts from the records of the First Church, p. 31. "Edward Rainsford and
Jacob Eliot was dismissed from thr. office of deacons, for setting there
hands, with other brethren, to desire there dismission from the church, be-
cause the church had chosen Mr. Davenport for there pastor on the 12. of
the 12 mo. 1668." "At a meeting called on ve 29 of the 1 mo. 1669, about
ye dissenting brethren: judgt. whether the church see light from ye word
of God to dismiss ye dissenting brethren yt. desire it; it was answered in
the negative, unanimously."

* Tbe parts printed in Italics are underscored in the tlie manuscript from wbidi I copy«

76

Note 10. Pack 8.

The First Baptist Church was also formed at Charlestown, May 28, 1665;
probably, in both cases, because in another county, to avoid the penalty of
the law then existing, which forbade the formation of a church without the
sanction of the magistrates.

The covenant adopted by "the Third Church," and recorded in the first
volume of the church records, p. 1, is as follows.

*'The Covenant made by ye Third Church" in Boston, Gathred at Charles*
town on 12 day of 3d month, 1669.

We whose names are underwritten, being called of God to joine together
into a church, in heart-sense of our unworthinesse thereof, disability there-
unto, and aptnes to forsake ye Lord, cast off his govermnt, and neglect
our duety one to another; do, in the name of J. C. our Lord, trusting only
in his grace and help, G^ollemnly bind ourselves together as in the presence
of God, constantly to walk together as a church of Christ, according to all
those holy rules of God's word given to a church body rightly establisned, so
far as we already know them, or they shall be hereafter rarther made known
unto us. And particularly, — We do, first of all, accord, to the tenor of the
everlasting covenant, give up ourselves and our offspring unto God, our chief
yea only good; unto our Lord J. C. as the onely mediator, our onely sptl.
head and Lord, recieving and relying on him, not only as our high priest for
satisfaction and intercession, but also as our prophet to teach, and our
King to reigne over us; and unto the Holy Spirit, to be a temple to him,
that by his dwelling and working in us we may have, and be established in
fellowship with God in Christ one with another. — And for the furth.
of this blessed fellowship, we do likewise promise to indeavr. to establish
among ourselves, and conveigh down to our posterity, all the holy truths
and ordinances of the gospel] committed to the churches in faith and observ-
ance, opposing to the utmost of our church power whatsoever is diverse there-
from or contrary thereunto. — Also we do give up ourselves to one another
in the Lord and by the will of God; hereby promising to cleave one to
another as fellow members of the same body, in brotherly love and holy
watchfulnesse, unto mutuall edification in Christ Jesus, and to be subject in
and for the Ld., to all the administrations and censures of the congregation^
so far as the same shall be ordered according to the rules of God's most holy
word. — And finally, we do hereby covenant and promise, through the help of
the same grac6,tonold, promote and maintein fellowp. and communion with
all the churches of saints, in all those holy ways of order appointed between
tl^em by our Lord Jesus, to the utmost, especially with those among whome
the Lord hath set us; that the Lord may be one, and his name one, in all
these churches throughout all generations, to his eternall glory in Christ Je-
sus. — And now the good Lord be mercifull unto us. Pardoning, according to
the greatness of his grace, as all our past sins, so especially our church sins
in negligence and unfaithfulnesse of former injoyments, and accept, as a
sweet savor in Christ Jesus, this our offering up of ourselves unto him in
this work; filling this his house with his own glory, making us faithful to
himself and one unto another, according to himself, for his holy name's sake,
Amen." — This is the only form of covenant found in the records of the
church till March 2, 1769.

The names of the founders of the church are thus entered in the book of
"Admissions."

"The brethren which came off from the first church in Boston N. E., and
laid the foundation of the Third Church, ptly on May 12, 1669, partly on
May 16, 1669, were these underwritten,

Capt. Wm. Davis, Mr. Hezekiah Usher, Mr. John Hull, Mr. Edward
Raynsford, afterwards Ruling Elder, Mr. Peter Bracket, afterwards deacon,
Mr. Jacob Eliot, afterwards deacon, Mr. Peter Oliver, Mr. Tho. Brattle, Mr.
Edward Rawson, Mr. Joshua Scottoe, Mr. Benjamin Gibbs, Mr. Tho. Savage,
Mr. Joseph Rocke, Mr. Theodore Atkinson, Mr. Jno. Wing, Mr. Richard
Trewsdale, Mr. Theoph. Frarye, afterwards deacon, Robert Walker, Jno.
Aldin, Benjamin Thurston, Wm. Salter, Jno. Morsse, Josiah Belcher, Seth

♦ There was then no organized body styled the congregation as now, and this term was
often applied to the church. Winthrop constantly applied it thus in his Journal.

77

Perry, James Pemberton, Wm. Dawes, Joseph Davis, Mr. Tho. Thatcher,
afterwards pastor, Joseph Belknap, dismissed to Hatfield."

The majority, it will be observed, have a Mr. prefixed to their names,
and several are recorded without this title. This had a meaning at the time
the record was made, which will be perceived from the following extracts
from Winthrop's Journal, i, 61. "1631. Aug. 27. At a court, one Josiaa
Plaistowe and two of his servants were censured for stealing com from
Chickatabot and his men, (who were present,) the master to restore twofold,
and to be degraded from the title of a gentleman, and fined five pounds, and
his men to be whipped." The records of the Court give the sentence thus,
''It is ordered that Josias Plaistowe shall, (for stealing four baskets of corn
from the Indians,) return them ei^ht baskets again, be fined £5, and here-
afier to he called hy the name of Josias, and not Mr. a^ formerly he used to he;
and that William Buckland and Thomas Andrew shall be whipped for be-
ing accessary to the same ofience." The precise points of distinction be-
tween "a ffentleman" or a "Mr." and others not entitled to that honor, in
the early days of New-England, cannot, perhaps, be now fully ascertained.
A person of extensive and accurate information on these subjects informs
me, that it appears from the records, journals, &c. that have come down to
us, that the title of Mr. was given, to those who had taken a second degree
at college,* to all magistrates, to all who were or had been military officers
of a grade as high as captain, to those on whose coat of arms was inscribed
'generosus/ to merchants of standing, and perhaps some others. The
wives and unmarried daughters of gentlemen were called Mrs.

Hutchinson (vol. i, p. ^JO,) says, Mr. Davenport was settled at Boston,
''against the mind of many of the principal persons of the church in Bos-
ton, which caused them, some time after, to separate from their brethren
and to form a new society." I have found notices, of nearly all these per-
sons in Farmer's Genealogical Register; which, for the gratification of the
reader, will be here inserted. William Davis, "Boston, freeman, 1645,t
member of the artil. comp. 1643,t its captain from 1664 to 1672; was com-
mander of a company of troop in Ninegret's war; represented Springfield in
1652, and perhaps Haverhill in 1668." — Hezekiah Usher, "Cambridge, free-
man 1639, removed to Boston about 1646, was a member of the artil. co.
1638, representative for Billerica 1671, 1672 and 1673, and died in May
1676."— -JoA« Hull, "Boston, grandson of Robert Hull,§ was probably ad-
mitted freeman 1649, member of the artil. co. 1660, its captain 1678, treas-
urer of Massachusetts 1676, assistant from 1680 to 1683. He died 29 Sept.
1683, leaving an only child Hannah, born 14 Feb. 1658, who married Judge
Samuel Sewall. He lefl a large estate." — Edward Raynsford, "Boston,
brother of Lord Chief Justice Raynsford, was admitted freeman 1637, and
was an elder of the church." — Peter Br ackett, "Braintree, freeman 1643, re-
presentative 1644 — 1 646, 1653, 1660 — 1662, 7 years; representative for Scar-
borough 1673 and 1674." [This is the only Peter Bracket mentioned in the
Register. Whether he was the same with the person of that name among the
founders of the Third Church, I cannot determine. He may have resided
in Boston in 1669, when the church was formed.] — Jacob Eliot, "Boston,
brother to Rev. John Eliot [first minister of Roxbury and "the Indian apos-
tle"] freemen 1632, was an elder [deacon] of the church." — Peter Oliver
"son of Elder Thomas,|| was an eminent merchant in Boston, freeman
1640, member of the artil. co. 1643, its captain in 1669, died in 1670." —
Thomas Brattle, "Boston 1657; was probably made freeman 1657, mem-
ber of the artil. co. 1672, representative 1671 and 1672 for Lancaster, 1678
and 1670 for Concord." Edward Rawson, "born in Gillingham, in Dofset-

* Sr was the title of bachelors of arts.

t To become a freeman, application must be made to the General Court, accompanied
with the minister's certificate of good standing in the church, and, permission being given
by the Court, the freeman's oath must be taken before a magistrate.

X The Artilery company at its incorporation in 1638 was composed of "divers gentlemen
and others," and was in early times joined by most of the principal citizens.

$ Robert Hull, Boston, blacksmith, was admitted freeman 1637, and died 28 July 1663,
8B 73."

II Thomas Oliver, "came to N. E. 1G31, freeman 1633; was an elder of the church in Bos-
ton, and a worthy and useful man, and died in 1657."

n

Bhire, about 1615; came to N. £. as early as 1637, and settled in Newbury,
where he was town clerk and representative in 1638 and eight years after-
wards, having, been admitted freeman in 1637. He went to Boston about
1650, and was Secretary of the Massachusetts colony from 1650 to 1686" ;
[he died in the winter of 1693, 4.] Joshua Scottoe, "Boston, freeman 1639,
member of artil. co. 1645, its ensign in 1657, a captain, and the author of two
tracts published in Boston in 1691 and 1694. He died in 1698." Benjamin
Gibbs, "Boston, was admitted to the First Church 13 July 1662, a member
of the artil. co. 1666." Thomas Savage, "Boston, second son of Thomas
Savage*, was born 28 May 1640, became member of the artil. co. in 1665,
was an officer in Sir William Phipp's expedition to Canada 1691, and a
lieutenant colonel of the Suffolk regiment. He died 2 July, 1705, 8b 65."
Joseph Roche, "Boston, freemen 1652." Theodore Athinson, "came from
Burv, in Lancashire, about 1634, and settled at Boston; became a member
of the artil. co. 1644; and died in August 1701, as 90." John Wing, [of
him I have found no account.] Richard Trewsdale, "Truesdale, freeman
1635, perhaps brother-in-law to Gov. Winthrop." TheophUus Frarye^
"Boston 1657, member of the artil. co. 1666, captain of the same 1082,
representative 1689, died 17 Oct. 1700." Robert Walker, "Boston, freeman
1634, was living 10 June 1684, at the age of 78." John Mdin, "son of John
Aldint, went from Duxbury to Boston as early as 1659, and died 14 March
1702." Benjamin Thurston, "born 1640, freeman 1665." William Salter^
**Boston, admitted a member of the church 1635, freeman 1636." John
Morsse, "Dedham, one of the early settlers, had sons, John, bom 1639," and
two others. [It was probably the son who was one of the founders of the
Third Church.] Josiah Belcher, [Several Belchers are mentioned in the
Register, but none named Josiah.] Seth Perry, son of Arthur Perry t,
born 1639, admitted member of the artil. co. 1662." James Pemberton,
"came over as early as 1630, and requested to be made freeman 19 Oct. that
year." [He carried on a brewery in Queen, now Court, street.] William,
DaweSf "Boston, freeman 1646; died 24 March 1703, ae 86." Joseph Davis,
[of him I have found no account.] Thomas Thatcher, [of him an account
will be given in the sermon, as one of the pastors of the church.] Joseph
Belknap, "Boston, probably a son of Abraham Belknap of Lynn and Sa-
lem; he was a member of the artil. co. 1658, and was admitted freeman m
1669."

Note 11. Page 11.

At the time of the formation of the Third Church, the First Church
(which was formed July 30, 1630) worshipped in a building of wood,
which stood on the spot now occupied by "Joy's Building" in Cornhilt
Square, and which was then called "the Old Meeting House;" and the
Second Church (which was formed June 5, 1650) worshipped in a wooden
building that stood on North Square, and was called " the North Meeting
House. This was their second building, their first having been destroyed
by fire a few years after it was built. The first Meeting House of the
First Church was erected in 1632, on the south side of State street, not far
from the spot on which the Exchange Coffee House now stands. "Its roof
was thatched, and its walls were of mud." Their second edifice was
erected in 1639, on Cornhill Square. This building was burnt in "the
great fire" of 1711. Soon after, another edifice, of brick, was erected on
the same spot. This was called "the Brick Meeting House," till 1721,
when a new church was formed in the north part of the city, which

* Who "came to N. E., to Boston, as early as 1635, was admitted freeman 1636, member
of the artU. co. 1637, and its captain 1651. He represented Boston in 1654 and eight suc-
ceeding years, Hinaham in 1663, Andover in 1671, 1677 and 1678, and was speaker of the
house in 1659 and 1671. He was a major, and at one time was commander in chief of
the forces in the early part of Philip's war, 1675j was elected assistant in 1680 and 1681;
and died 14 Feb. 1683, e 75."

t Who was "one of the first pilgrims of Plymouth 1620, and one of the first settlers of
Duxbury 1640, was representative 1641 to 1649} an assistant of Plymouth colony from 1633
to 1639, excepting 1637, and* from 1651 to 1686, excepting 1653, in all 42 years. He died 12
Sept. 1687, le 69."

t "Arthur Perry, Boston, freeman 1640, was the town drummer, member of the aitii. co.
1638, and died 9 Oct 1652."

79

erected a Meeting House also of brick, the one in which the Rev. Mr.
Emerson now preaches, which was called "the New Brick;" after which
the Meeting House of the First Church was called "the Old Brick," till it
was taken down in 1808, and the church removed to the building they now
occupy in Chauncey Place. In 1712 a number of persons were dismissed
from the Second Church, and formed into a new chuich in the north part
of the town. Their first Meeting House was dedicated May 5, 1714, and
took the name of "the New North," after which the Meeting House of the
Second Church was called "the Old North," till its demolition in 1775.
After the revolution, this church, of which the late Dr. Lathrop was the

gastor, was united with the New Brick church, retaining the name of ths
econd Church, and ever since occupying the New Brick Meeting House.

Note 12. Page 11.

"Most of the churches" of New England, "not all," for some time after
the settlement of the country, "had," besides a pastor, or a pastor and a
teacher, and two or more deacons, "one or more ruling elder;"* whose
^'business," says Cotton Mather in his Ratio Discipline, "it was to assist
the pastor in visiting the distressed, instructing the ignorant, reducing the
erroneous, comforting the afflicted, rebuking the unruly, discovering the
state of the whole flock^ exercising the discipline of the Gospel upon
offenders, and promoting the desirable growth of the church." Hutcmn-
son's account of the duties of this officer is as follows : "In matters oF
offence, the ruling elder after the hearing, asked the church if they were
satisfied; if they were not, he left it to the pastor or teacher to denounce
the sentence of excommunication, suspension or admonition, according as*
the church had determined. Matters of offence, regularly, were first
brought to the ruling elder in private, and might not otherwise be told to
the church. It was the practice for the ruling elders to give public notice
of such persons as desired to enter into church fellowship with them, and
of the time proposed for admitting them, if no sufficient objection wtur
offered, and when the time came, to require all persons who knew any just
grounds of objection to signify them. Objections were frequently made^
and until they were heard and determined, the ruling elder seems to have
moderated in the church, but the church's consent to the admission wa9
asked by the pastor or teacher, who also rehearsed and proposed the
church-covenant, and declared them members. When a minister preached
to any other than his own church, the ruling elder of the church, after the
psalm sung, said publicly, *If this present brother hath any word of exhor-
tation for the people at this time, in th^ name of God let him say on.'
The ruling-elder always read the psalm. When the member of one church
desired to receive the sacrament at another, he came to the ruling-elder,
who proposed his name to the church for their consent. At the communion
thev sat with the minister. I find nothing further relating to this officer in
their public assemblies. They were considered without doors, as men for
advice and counsel in religious matters; they visited the sick, and had a
general inspection and oversight of the conduct of their brethren." Ruling
elders were always ordained, sometimes by a small council of neighboring
churches, most commonly by the elders, teaching and ruling, already in
office in the same church.

This office has long since been discontinued in the New England churches.
A few never had such an officer. Of the others, some discontinued the
office at an earlier, some at a later period. The name of but one ruling
elder is mentioned in the records of the Old South Church. This does not
prove, however, that none others were chosen. The early records are
exceedingly brief and defective: they make no mention of the election of
the ruling elder or of the deacons, recorded as such in the book of "Admis-
sions," and said by Hutchinson to have been chosen soon after the forma-
tion of the church. Of one of the subsequent deacons, we have only a
mention of his death, but no notice of his election. And there were
probably deacons in the early periods of the church, of whom there is no

♦ Hutchinson, vol. 1. p. 42G.

1

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80

mention in the records. The present Meeting House, as first finished in
|730, contained an elevated seat, immediately in front of the pulpit, for the
^Itng elder. This would seem to imply that the office, whether then filled
or not, was not considered as finally abolished in 1730. Feb. 2, 1721, 2.
Judffe Sewall wrote to the Rev. Hugh Adams, of Oyster River, now
Durham, N. H., "Was ^lad to hear, by Mr. Moody, of your comfortable
day of prayer in ordaining ruling elders." In the records of the First
Church in Boston, p. 59, 1 find the following entry : "Augt. 3, 1701, Dea-
con Bridgman and Deacon Cop chosen ruling elders." In the history of
the New Brick Church, p. 29, we are informed, that, in that church the
ofiice of ruling elder had become almost obsolete in 1735, when an attempt
was made to revive it, and it was determined, after numerous meetings, to
have two ruling elders; but in Nov. 1736, only one person had been found
to accept the office, and the church voted not to choose another. In the
New North Church, formed in 1712, we are informed, in Eliot's Historical
Notiees of that church, that it was agreed to set up the office of ruling
elder on the first of July 1720, and three persons were elected into that
office, two of whom declining, others were chosen in their stead on the 9th
of Sept. following, and the three were ordained April 22, 1721. "In'Sept.
1743, Mr. William Parkman was elected as a ruling elder, but was not
ordained. He was the last person who filled that office. He died in 1775
or 1776." Cotton Mather, in his Magnalia, published in 1702, says. Book
5. p. 40, "Our churches are now geneially destitute of such helps in jgov-
emment." In a note to Winthrop's Journal, (i. 31.) it is remarked, "Thie
office of ruling elder was generally kept up hardly more than fifty years,
though in a few churches it continued to the middle of the last century,
much reduced, however, in importance, and hardly distinguishable from
that of deacon."

Among the causes which produced doubts in relation to the necessity
and propriety of this office, and difficulty in obtaining qualified persons to
consent to serve in it, and which ultimately led to its universal discontin-
uance, I have met with the following. "1632, July, The congregation, i. e.
ike church, at Boston wrote to the elders and brethren of the other churches
for their advice on these questions, to wit, whether oneperson might be a civil
magistrate and a ruling elder at the same time? if not, then which should he
lay down.!* and whether there might be divers pastors in the same church.^
Toe first was agreed by all negatively; the second doubtful; the third doubt-
ful also. In consequence of this decision, Mr. Nowell, who was then an el-
der in the Boston church, relinquished that office, and devoted himself to
the duties of a civilian."* Cotton Mather says, (Magnalia, Book 5, p. 40.)
'*There are some who cannot see any such officer as what we call a ruling
elder, directed and appointed in the word of God; and the inconveniences
whereunto many churches have been plunged by elders, not of such a num-
ber, or not of such a wisdom, as were desirable, have much increased a pre-
judice against the office itself: besure, partly through a prejudice against
the office itself, and partly, indeed chiefly, through a penury of men well
qualified for the discharge of it, as it has been heretofore understood and
applied, our churches are now generally destitute of such helps in govern-
ment." Hutchinson says (i. 426.), Every thin? which I have mentioned as
the peculiar province or the ruling elder, so Sir as it is in itself necessary
or proper, may with propriety enough be performed by the minister. It is
not strange, therefore, that this office, in a course of years, sunk into an
almost entire disuetude in the churches." To all which is to be added the
^ influence of the fact, that, according to the early practice in the churches
here, the whole of that most unpleasant and difficult part of the business of
I church officers, inquiring into the misconduct of members, and bringing^
I those who transgressea under the discipline of the church, was managed
/ by the ruling elder, there being commonly only one, or at most two in a
' church; and these, with such associations, and almost no others connected
with them as elders, were placed most conspicuously, every sabbath, before
the whole congregation, in an elevated seat directly before and under the

* Snow's History of Boston, p. 62. See also Winthrop's Journal, i, 81.

81

pulpit. These circumstances fully account for the facts that there waa,
after a time, found to be "a penury of men well qualified for," and
willing to accept, the office, and that it ^^sunk," at length, <4nto an entire
disuetude."

In the early periods of the New England churches, the Deacons, as well
as the pastors and teachers and ruling elders, were, in conformity with
apostolic example (Acts vi. 6.), ordained with prayer and the imposition of
hands. Thus the two persons first chosen deacons of the Third Church
were, no doubt, inducted into office, though there is no record of the fact,
as there is none of their election. The third deacon of the church wu
Theophilus Frarye; of whose call to the office the following is the onlj
notice in the records : "Nov. 8, 1685. Mr. Theoph. Frarye was ordained
deacon." Jud^e Sewall has left us, in his journal, an- account of the
solemnity. It is as follows. "Sabbath day, Nov. 8, 1685. In the afternoon,
Mr. Willard ordained our Bror. Theophilus Frarye to ye office of a deacon.
Propounded it to the congr. at noon. Then, in even.^propounded, if anj
of the Ch. or other had to object, they might speak. Then took the Ch.'s
vote. Then called him up to the pulpit, laid his hands on his head, and
said, 'I ordain thee,' &c. Gave him his charge. Then prayed; and sunff
the 2d part of the 84th Ps." There lies before me while I am writing thu
note, a volume of " Ordination Sermons," of two of which the following
are the titles, "The Divine Ri^ht of Deacons. A Sermon preached on
occasion of the ordination of Mr. Zechariah Thayer to the office of a
Deacon in the Old or First gathered Church in Boston', Lord's day, May
23, 1731. By Thomas Foxcroft, M. A. One of the pastors of the said
Church." And, "A Brief Discourse at the Qfdination of a Deacon. Bt
John Webb, A. M. Pastor to a Church of Christ in Boston. Printed,
1731." The latter is an address, without a text, of twenty octavo pages.

The practice of ordaining deacons, was also, after a time, generally if
not universally, discontinued in the New England churches; in some, no
doubt, at an earlier period than in others. Its discontinuance in the First
Church in Boston is thus noted in its records: "Augt. 18. 1747. Our
brother Daniel Marsh was chosen into the Deacon's office, and took his
seat accordingly [in the deacons' seat, before and below the elders' seat, in
front of the pulpit] on Lord's day Sept. 13th. But, to this day, Jany. 1754,
declines being ordained." The practice of ordaining deacons has, of late,
been revived in many of the evangelical Congregational churches of New
England; and it, clearly, ought to be revived in all, for the authority in
the New Testament for their ordination is as express as that for ordaining
ministers.

The following is all account of the deacons of the Old South Church, ae
complete as I have been able to make it from the records and other sources
of information, but still quite imperfect in relation to the early period of
the church.

Peter Brackett, chosen soon after the formation of the church.

Jacob Eliot, do.

Theophilus Frarye, ordained Nov. 8, 1685.

Nathaniel Williams, elected Oct. 15, 1693.

James Hill,
Daniel Henchman,
Jonathan Simpson,
Thomas Hubbard.
Samuel Sewall,
David Jefiries,
William Phillips,
Jonathan Mason,
Thomas Dawes,
Samuel Salisbury,
William Phillips, Jr.
Josiah Salisbury,

11

do. Nov. 24, 1693.

do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.

deceased in 1763.

Aug. 7,1733. do. 1763.

April 9, 1739. resigned Jan. 23, 1764.

Sept. 16, 1763. deceased Jan. 1771.

Sept. 16, 1763. do. Sept. 1786.

Feb. 22, 1764. resigned Nov. 1793.

Aug. 20, 1770. deceased May 5, 1798.

Oct. 20,1786. do.

Mar. 24, 1794. do.

Mar. 24, 1794. do.

May 8,1817. do.

Jan. 2, 1809.
May 2,1818.
May 26, 1827.
Feb. 10, 1896.

/

i

82

Edward PhilUps, elected May 8, 1817. deceased Nov. 4, 1826.

Pliny Cutler, do. April 29, 1€26.

Thomas Vose, do. April 29, 1826.

Samuel T. Armstrong, do. May 18, 1829.

Note 13. Page 11.

Hutchinson says, i. 271. "The First Church refused the invitation of
the new society to join with other churches in ordaining their officers.'*
From this statement it would seem that the RulingJBlder, and perhaps the
deacons, were ordained at the same time that Mr. Thatcher was installed.
No record exists of the calling or proceedings of the Council convened on
this occasion.

Note 14. Page 11.

The original drafl of this letter to the old church, with the signatures
annexed, is preserved among the papers of the Old South Church. It is as
follows. "Reverend and dearly beloved in the Lord. Having had com-
munion with our respective husbands in the Supper of the Lord this sab-
bath, and judging it for edification and consolation so to doe, wee humbly
intreat you candidly to interpret it; and, for the helping of our joy in the
Lord for the future, earnestly request you so to release us of our covenant
engagement unto yorselves, that wee may, without offence to you, have
liberty so to provide for our own peace and spirituall comfort, as may, in
our own consciences, be most suitable to our duty, for our edification in
the Lord." ,

Note 15. Page 11.

This vote is not found in the records of the First Church. A copy of it
in the records of the Third Church (i. 3.) is as follows, "The vote of ye
Old Church of Boston, on 24. 2. 1670. Whereas, we have received testi-
monie under the hands of some of our sisters, that they have had comunion
with those with whom we have declared that we cannot hold comunion till
they remove offences given us, notwithstanding ye warning the church
hath ffiven against such comunion with them, as that which would be very
offensive to Uiem, We do declare therefore, we cannot have comunion with
such of ours at the Lord's table who have and do comunicate with them,
untill they give us satisfaction, they having broken the rule 1 Cor. x. 32.

JAMES ALLEN.
JAMES PEN."

Note 16. Page 11.

This proposal of accommodation by the Third Church is thus entered on
its records, (i. 4.) "We the elders and brethren of the Third Church of
Boston, being sensible of the dishonor of the holy name of God and ffreif
on the hearts of God's people occasioned by the late divisions, and desiring
that the God of love and peace may dwell among us, Do declare, that to us
the known Congregationall way, contained for substance in the platforms
of discipline, is the very order of the Gospel. And, professing our readi-
ness, upon conviction, to acknowledge any thing wherein we have, thro
infirmity, swerved from this rule hi this houre of temptation, tho now we
see it not, and earnestly desiring the Lord to pardon what he hath seen
amiss on either hand, in any part of this transaction, do freely tender fully
to passe by whatsoever hath ben any ways greivouse or ofi*ensive unto us.
And further, intreatin^ our brethren of the first gathered church to dis-
misse, unto us those who, being of or mind, have still held comunion with
us, if thejr still desire it, do hereby testify or resolution what in us lys to
walk on in brotherly love and comunion with ye said First Church of
Boston, as becometh ye churches of Christ so nearly related.

|*This is a true copy of the essay for accomodation between the first and
third gathered church in Boston, delivered in writing to Mr. Oxeabridge to
be considered of, on the 1. 6. 1670, in ye presence of elder Edward
Eaynsford, by me, THOMAS THATCHER.

83

Note 17. Page 11.

The original drafl of this application, with the signatures annexed, is
preserved among the papers of the Old South Church. The standing of
these women with the Old Church is evinced by the following extract from
its records, p. 33. ''Upon a question brought to ye elders concerning one
of those sisters who have departed from us, viz. Sarah Pemberton, and by
ym brought to ye church, whether this church would deale wth her.
Now, she having irregularly withdrawn, as wee conceive, from us, and
broken her covenant with uS) and yreby manifested herself to be non of
us, we declare yt we look on orselves as disingaged of any covenant
duty to her, and [that she ceaseth to stand in a sisterly relation to us.
Voted by ye church, ye 15. 3mo. 1671."
'.»

""' Note 18. Page 11.

These females are to be regarded as among the founders of the church.
Their names are, therefore, here inserted, from the book of ''Admissions.**

Elizabeth Thurston; Sara Walker; Mary Tappan; Elizabeth Alden; Eliza-
beth Rocke; Sara Oliver; Mary Eliot; Mary Bracket; Susanna Daws;
Joanna Mason; Alice Harper; Mrs. Rachel Rawson; Sara Bodman.

The result of Council which led to their reception into the Third
Church has been inquired for, of late, and used as an authority. It will
therefore be here inserted, as preserved among the papers of the Old South
Church.

•'Upon a motion made by ye South Church of Boston unto such Elders
of other churches as were there assembled upon ye 28 of Mav 1674, for the
resolution of ys following <}uestion,.'What is or duty towards those mem-
bers of the Old Church who were and still are secluded from comunion
with that church in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, only because of yr
participation with us therein, and who also desire to join in church fellow-
ship with us.^' Those elders, having inquired into and labored afler a right
understanding of the true state of ye question as it ariseth from matter of
fact and relates unto matter of practice in ye great duties of church com-
union and comunion of churches, do, humbly and in ye fear of God, offer
our sincere understanding of ye case stated in ys question, and, 2dly, our
advice and counsel thereupon.

"1. That the church inquiring, respecting both its constitutions and ad-
ministrations both of doctrine and worship, is, and ought to be acknowl-
edged, a true church of Christ, standing right in the order of comunion of
churches in all respects, free and clear from any just scandal! or offence
given or taken; as appears by the oil renewed acts and constant practice
of comunion, and by the right hand of fellowship orderly and mutually
given and taken between them and generally all other churches as occa-
sion doth require.

"2. That therefore comunion with this church in the participation of the
Lord's Supper duly and regularly administered is not moral evil, nor justly
offensive unto any other church, any of whose inoffensive members shall,
orderly and oecasionally, for their own edification and comfort, desire to
eomunicate with them therein, by virtue of comunion of churches.

"3. That therefore for any other church to seclude or suspend a consid-
erable number of their own (otherwise inoffensive) members from com-
union with themselves in yt holy sacrament, meerly and only for participa-
tion with that church therein, is not justifiable as to the grounds and
reasons thereof, but seems to us to be crossee to the rules and order of the
comunion of churches, and so to their peace and union.

"4.^ That so to seclude and suspend such and so many members indefi-
nitely from church comunion, without the ordinary improvemt. and ap-
plication of the rules of church discipline, or any orderly proceeding in a
church way to call them before the church in public church assembly to
convince them of the evil and sinfuUnesse of the fact, to reduce, recover

84

them and restore them; and that singly and severally, each one by them*
Mlves, and to let such and so many members lire and ly, for divers yeers
together under such a suspension without any further proceeding in any
church is not justifyable, for ye manner of it, there having been no regular
forensicall exercise of judicale power by the church according to known
■oripture rules of churcn discipline, nor any liberty or opportunity giaunted
to reputed offenders either to clear their innocency, if innocent, or to hear
ye church and ezpresse their repentance if guilty; and therefore we cannot
judge such a seclusion and suspension to be a regular church censurjB.

'*5. That therefore any such declarative act of any church whereby they
do in such a way and manner sentence any or so many of their own mem-
bers unto non-comunion with themselves; and so, consequently, with all
other churches, it being neither properly an Ecclesiasticall admonition nor
excomunication; It is not (de jure) binding in foro Dei aut conscientiffi,
and is therefore no reall regular bar either unto those members from joining
with another church, neither unto another church from receiving them into
their fellowship, there having ben all due means used for their reconcilia-
tion to and dismission from the sd. church unto that wh. they find more for
their edification and consolation in ye Lord; and yet, it proving in vain and
altogether impossible and (as to man) afler so many years waiting utterly
hopelesse, yt shout be obtained for ye future;

*'In such a cass we judge

''That such members may joyne, and such a church unto whome they
desire to joyn may receive them into their fellowship, without the trans-
gression of any rule of church order or anv just onence given i|nto j^
church unto wch they did belong, provided they be in a capacity, by a
convenient vicinity and other necessary circumstances, to walk with that
church Iconstantlyl in ye course of church fellowp. and come according to
their church covenant,

Samuel Whiting, Senr. [of Lynn], John Eliot [Roxbury], Peter Hobart
niingham], Thomas Cobbet [Ipswich] , John Sherman [Watertown], Wil-
fiam Hubbard [Ipswich], John Hig:ginson [Salem], John Wilson JMed-
field], Jeremiah Hubbard [Topsfieldj, Samuel Phillips [Rowley], Joseph
Rowlandson £Lanca£ter]; Seaborn Cotton [Hampton, N^ H.], John Hale
[Beverly.]

Note 19. Page 11.

Almost Immediately after his call to the pastoral ofiice in the new or
third church, and before his installation, measures were taken to obtain for
him an able colleague. Among the papers of the church is a letter dated
Nov. 8, 1669, addressed to Mr. John Hull one of the members, who, it
•eems, was about to take a voyage to England, signed by Mr. Thatcher and
twenty seven brethren of the church, requesting Mr. Hull, when he should
arrive in the mother country, to 'inquire afler and seek out and get for
them some able, orthodox, godly man, in esteem and request among the
pious and wise hearted among those of the Congregational way, to be join-
ed with the Rev. Mr. Thatcher in the work of the ministry among them.'
There is also a recommendation of Mr. Hull and his object to the Congre-
gational ministers and churches in England, dated Nov. 4, 1669, and signed
Sy nineteen of the ministers then in the colony. Whether Mr. Hull actu-
ally went to Eng^land at that time does not appear: but it is certain no col-
league was obtained from that country for Mr. Thatcher.

Note 20. Page 12.

The account I have given of Mr. Thatcher is compiled chiefly from the
life of him by Cotton Mather, Magnalia, Book 3, p. 148, and from the noti-
ces of him in Eliot's and Allen's Biographical Dictionaries. My authority,
for the assertion that ''he was among Uie most popular preachers in the
colony," is the following, which I met with in 1 Histor. Collections, viii,
878.^ "In Chalmers' Political Annals there is a curious paper concerning
the inhabitants of this government, ts^ken from New England entries in the
FUMtqHon Qfieef entitled 'Observations made by the curious on N. E. about

85

the year 1673, which was given to Randolph for his direction, that he may
prore or disprove them.' " [One of the statements in this paper is the fol-
lowing.] '^Amonff the ministers the most popular are Mr. Thatcher, Mr.
Oxenbridge , Mr. Higginson. ' '

Mr. Thatcher was twice married, May 11, 1643, to a daughter of Mr.
Ralph Partridge, minister of Duxbury; and, to a second wife, in Boston.
lie left children, from whom there have been numerous descendants.

Cotton Mather in his life of Mr. Thatcher says, '^He w&s very watchful
over the souls of his people, and careful to preserve them from errors as
well as vices. But of all errors, he discovered an antipathy unto none more
than that sink of all errors, Quakerism;'* against which, he says, he ^'employ-
ed a most fervent zeal;" not, so far as appears, in promoting what has been
called their persecution by the civil power, but by employing his talents and
influence in exposing their errors and counteracting their efforts to spread
their fanatical opinions and disorderly practices.*

This statement introduces a subject in relation to which great injustice
has been done to the fathers of New England. 'They fled from persecution
themselves,' it is said, 'and then persecuted to banishment and to death the
poor Quakers! what inconsistency, what cruelty, what wickedness!' Those
who say such things, it is presumed, have before their minds the orderly, in-
dustrious, respectable Quakers of the present day, and, in their ignorance,
have not a doubt but that the sentence oi condemnation they have pronounced
upon their pious fathers is perfectly ju^t. But is it so.** We shall not attempt
to justify the conduct referred to. With Cotton Mather (Magnalia, Book 7,
p. iS) we say, ''If any man will appear in the vindication of it, let him do as
ne please; for my part, I will not. I am verily persuaded, these miserable
Quakers would, in a little while, (as we have now seen) have come to noth-
ing, if the civil magistrates had not inflicted any civil penalty upon them."
But is there no extenuation, no apology.^ Let a few of the facts be impartial-
ly considered. 1. The law of October 1658, which enacted "that all Quakers
who should return into the jurisdiction after banishment, should be punished
with death," (and under wmch four persons, and only four, were executed,)
met with great, and at first successful opposition, being rejected by the
Deputies, and aiterwards on reconsideration passed by a majority of ond
only. And "it was with reluctance" that it "was carried into execution."!

2. In Virginia a l&w was passed, in March 1659, 60, which "subjected all
masters of vessels to a penalty of JCIOO sterling for each Quaker brought by
them into the colony; and all Quakers were to be imprisoned without bail
or mainprize till they found sufficient security to depart the colonjr; they
were to be proceeded against as contumacious of the laws and magistracy
and punished accordingly; and, in case they came a third time into the col-
ony, they were to be prosecuted slb felons; and all persons were prohibited,
under the penalty of JCIOO sterling, from entertaini)^ them, or permitting
their assembling in or near their houses; and no pers6n was to dispose of or
publish any books or pamphlets containing the tenets of their religion.
Under the Virginia law no capital punishment ever took place;" t but, we
see, it was not because the Legislature had not prescribed ^uch a penalty.
The spirit of the age is, then, to bear most of the blame of the persecutions
in Massachusetts. But, 3., the Quakers of that period were an entirely dif-
ferent people from those of the present day; the conduct of many of them
was turbulent and extremely indecent, such as would now incur very severe
civil penalties. They were in the habit of "ordinarily saying among the

geople, 'We deny thy Christ. We deny thy God, which thou callest Father,
on and Spirit. Thy Bible is the word of the Devil.' " They in writing and
speech denounced "all earthly powers, parliaments, laws, charters, magis-
trates and princes." When questioned by the magistrates, "they gave rude
and contemptuous answers," and "railed at and reviled the governor, and
others with nim, in the public streets. In repeated instances, they came into
congregations, and called out to the minister in the time of public worship,
decuaing their preaching &c. to be an abominatioin to the Lord." "Thomas

* ^e Magnalia, Book 5, p. 151.
' Hutchinson, i, 198.
Cbriatian Spectator for 1830, pp. 265, 266.

I

86

Newhouse went into the Meeting House at Boston, with a coaple of ^lass
bottles, and broke them before the congregation, and threatened, 'Thus
will the Lord break you in pieces.' Another time M. Brewster came in [to
the South Meieting House] with her face smeared and as black as a coal.
Deborah Wilson went through the streets of Salem, naked as she came into
the world." "Two women of their sect came stark naked as ever they
were born into our public assemblies." — These statements, which I have
taken from Hutchinson (i, 196 — 204) and Cotton Mather, (Magnalia, Book
7, pp.23, 24,) I am told are fully confirmed in a treatise, which I have not
been able to procure, entitled New England Judged^ by George; Bishop, a
Quaker.

Now let the candid reader say, whether the difference of treatment which
persons so conducting would receive in this age, would not be attributable,
chiefly, if not entirely, to the generally milder spirit of the laws now than
at the period under review.

<But then,' it is said, 'the fathers fined, imprisoned and banished the
Baptists, in 1665 and onward.' True: and their conduct in this particular,
w^ exceedingly regret, and wholly disapprove. But let it be recollected
what disorders the Anabaptists had created in Germany (see Mosheim's Eel.
Hist. Cent. xvi. Chap. 3. Sect. 3. Part 2.); and that it is testified that "the
General Court were afraid lest matters might at last, from small beginnings,
grow into a new Munster Tragedy." (Magnalia, Book 7, p. 27.) In their
act, they expressly assign as a motive of their proceeding, a fear that the
scenes of Munster might be repeated here. — We object not to any one's
temperately and candidly expressing his disapprobation of the conduct of
the fathers in persecuting different sects. But we must insist, that no man
will suffer himself to rail at them for it, at least until, upon an impartial
view of the whole case, he arrives at an assurance, that, in the same age and
in precisely in the same circumstances, he would have acted more consist-
ently with the civil and religious rights of men.

Note 21. Page 14,

The quotations in the account I have given of Mr. Willard, are from the
funeral sermon by his colleague Mr. Pemberton, and from Eliot's and Al-
len's Biographical Dictionaries. The following additional particulars in
relation to him may be interesting to the reader.

He was the third son of Maj. Simon Willard, sometime ''a member of the
Council, and at the head of the militia." Rev. Mr. Willard was born at
Concord, Mass., Jan. 31, 1640. He married Abigail Sherman, Aug. 8,
1664, and Eunice Tyng about 1679; and at his decease left a widow and
a large family of children, whose descendants are numerous at this day.
Accounts of the family may be seen in Farmer's Genealogical Register,
and in the Historical Collections, published at Concord, N. H. in 1822,
No. 3.

The following anecdote is given, 1. Mass. Histor. Coll. viii, 182, in proof
of the excellence of his delivery. It is in a "History of Eastham." Re-
ferring to Mr. Treat, one of the ministers of that town, the matter of whose
sermons is stated to have been "excellent" but greatly "injured by the
badness of his manner," the writer observes, "After his marriage with the
daughter of Mr. Willard, he was sometimes invited by that gentleman to
preach in his pulpit. Mr. Willard possessed an agreeable delivery and
narmonious voice; and though he did not gain much reputation by his
Body of Divinity,* which is frequently sneered at, particularly by those
who have not read it, yet, in his sermons are strength of thought and energy
of language. The natural consequence was that he was generally admiredf.
Mr. Treat having preached one of his best discourses to the congrega-
tion of his father-in-law, in his usual unhappy manner, excited universal
disgust, and. several nice judges waited on Mr. Willard, and begged that

'^ To explain this remark, the reader need only be informed, that the writer of the History
of Eastham was decidedly anti-evangelical in his religious opinions. That the remark is
unfounded, at least as applicable to many years after the preparation and publication of the
Body of Divinity, will be proved in the course of this Note.

87

Mr. Treaty who was a worthy, pious man, it was true, but a wretchod

Sreacher, might never be invited into his pulpit again. To this request
[r. Willard made no reply: but he desired his son-in-law to lend him the
discourse; which being leil with him, he delivered it, without alteration,
to his people, a few weeks afler. The hearers were charmed. They flew
to Mr. Willard, and requested a copy for the press. 'See the difference/
they cried, 'between yourself and your son-in-law. You have preached a
sermon on the same text as Mr. Treat's; but whilst his was contemptible^
yours was excellent.' "

The following is the principal authority for the statement I have made
respecting the part he took in relation to the proceedings respecting witch-
crah. The extracts are from Mr. Thomas Brattle's "Account of the witch-
crafts, in the county of Essex in 1692," inserted in 1 Mass. Histor. Coll. v, 61.
''Although the chief judge, and several of the other judges, be very zealous
for these proceedings, yet this you may take for a truth, that there are
several about the Bay, men for understanding, judgment and piety, inferior
to few, if any, in N. £., that do utterly condeihn the said proceedings, and do
j&eely deliver their judgment in the case to be this, viz. that these methods
will utterly ruin and undo poor N. £. I shall nominate some of them to you,
viz. the Hon. Simon Bradstreet, Esq., our late governor; the Hon. Thomas
Danforth, Esq., our late deputy governor, the Rev. Mr. Increase Mather, and
the Rev. Samuel Willard, &c. pp. 74, 75. Again he says, "I cannot but
highly applaud, and think it our duty to be very thankful for, the endeav-
ors of several elders, whose lips I think should preserve knowledge, and
whose counsel should, I think, have been more regarded, in a case of this
nature, than it has yet been. In particular, I cannot but think very hon-
orably of the endeavors of a Rev. person in Boston, whose good affection
to his country in general, and spiritual relation to three of the judges in

F articular, has made him very solicitous and industrious in this matter: and
am fully persuaded that, had his notions and proposals been hearkened to
and followed, when these troubles were in their birth, in an ordinary way,
they never would have grown unto the height which they now have. He has^
as yet, met with little but unkindness, abuse and reproach from many men;;
but, I trust, that, in after times, his wisdom and service will find a more
universal acknowledgment; and if not, his reward is with the Lord." pp. 76,
77. This undoubtedly refers to Mr. Willard, for Stoughton the chief judge,
and Sewall and Winthrop, judges, were members of his church. Bently m
his account of Salem, iMass. Histor. Coll. vi, referring to the witchcraft pro-
ceedings, and having mentioned Mr. English and his wife, very respectable
inhabiUints of Salem, as having been arrested and "confined in Arnold jail
in Boston till the time of trial, says, they "were relieved by the generous
favor of Messrs. Willard and Moody.''* "They assisted Mr. English and his
wife in removing to New York, and recommended them to Governor Fletch-
er, who paid them eyeiy attention." Mr. Pemberton in his funeral sermon
says of Mr. Willard, "It ought never to be forgotten, with what prudence,
courage and zeal, he appeared for the good of this people, in that dark and
mysterious season, when we were assaulted from the invisible world. And
how singularly instrumental he was in discovering the cheats and delusions
of Satan, which had stained our land with blood, and did threaten to deluge
it with all manner of woes." From a statement in the Ma^naiia, Book vi,
p. 67, it appears, that Mr. Willard had had something to do with persons sup-
posed to be bewitched many years before. The author is giving an account
of a woman who, he says, was "manifestly" under a demoniacal influence,
at Groton, in 1671. Among the strange things related of her is the follow-
ing, "The chief things that the dsBmon spoke were horrid railings against
the godly minister of the town." It seems too that he. was once named by
one of the accusers at Salem. Calef states, in his account, that "one of
the accusers cried out publicly of Mr. Willard minister in Boston, as af-
flicting of her; she was sent out of the court, and it was told about she
was mistaken in the person." A full account of these remarkable proceed-
ings may be seen in "The Wonders of the Invisible World Displayed,

* Rev. Joshua Moody of Portsmoulh N. H., then residing in Boston, and preacbinc to the
Fust Church.

88

by Robert Calef;" and in Hutchinson's History, ii, 15—61. Much rid-
icule has been heaped upon our fathers for these proceedings. But it
should be recollected that similar occurrences had been much more general
in England not long before, where "more" were "put to death" as witches
<<in a single county, in a short space of time, than have suffered" for this
alleged crime "in all New England from the first settlement;"* that such
men as Lord Chief Justice Hale sanctioned and participated in those pro-
ceedings; and that "the contagion," as it has been appropriately called,
undoubtedly spread to New England from the mother country. It was one
of those aberrations of imagination and judgment which sometimes per-
vade and agitate whole communities; which we contemplate with wonder,
but cannot explain.

Of the numerous evidences I have met with of the honorable and affec-
tionate estimation in which Mr. Willard was held by his congregation and
by the public, I can allow myself space for the insertion of only the follow-
ing. From Judge SewaWs Journal, "Lord's day, Sept. 29, 1700. Mr. Wil-
lard, by reason of sickness, keeps house." "Oct. 8, 1700. Is a fast at
ye new Meeting House, to pray for Mr. Willard's life. Mr. Colman,
Wardsworth, pray. Mr. Pemberton preaches, Phillip, i, 24. Mr. Allen,
Cotton Mather, pray. 20th Psalm, two stanzas and i ,sung, L. . Lieut. Grov.,
Mr. Russel, Cook, Addington, Em. Hutchinson, Townsend, there. Mr.
Fisk, Danforth, Walter, Brattle, out of town. Pretty considerable congre-

Sition, it beinff so sudden, and first intended in private." "Nov. 21, 1700L
ay of public manksgiving. At 3 past meridn. Mr. Willard comes abroad,
and prays, to the great refreshment of ye congregation. This ye first time
since his sickness. In ye evening I made these verses on it, viz.

; As Jonepta let his brethren see »

; Simeon, both alive and free, ^.

C So Jssui brings forth Samuel.

f. To tune our hearts to praise him well.

I Thus He with beams of clieerful light,

r Corrects the darkness of our night;

His grace assists us, in this wise,

To seise, and bind the sacrifice.**

<* Monday, Aug. 11, 1707. Mr. Willard goes to Cambridge to expound,
but finds few scholars come together; and moreover, was himself taken ill
there, which obliged him to come from thence before prayer time. Tuesday,
August 12, between 6 and 7, 1 visited Mr. Willard, to see how his journey
and labour at ye college had agreed with him; and he surprised me with ye
above account; told me of a great pain in his head and sickness at his stom-
ach, and that he believ'd he was near his end. I mentioned the business of
the college. He desired me to do his message by word of mouth. Quickly
after I left Mr. Willard, he fell very sick, and nad three sore convulsion
fits, to our ^reat sorrow and amazement. Thursday, Aug. 14. When ye
Govr. enquired after Mr. Willard, I acquainted the Govr. and Council
yt Mr. Willard was not capable of doing the college work another year; he
thanked vm for yr acceptance of his service, and reward. Govt, and Coun-
cil order d Mr. Winthrop and Brown to visit the Revd. Mr. Willard, and
thank him for his good service the six years past. Sent down for concur-
rence, and Depts. to name persons to join in yr thanks and condolence.
Depts. concur; and nominate ye Revd. Mr. Nehemiah Hobart to officiate
in ye mean time, till Octr. next. This ye Govt, and Council did not ac-
cept; and so nothing was done.'^t ^^Sept. 12. Mehetabel Thurston tells
me Mr. Willard was taken very sick. I hoped it might go off, and went to
dinner. When I came there, Mr. Pemberton was at prayer, near conclud-
ing. A pretty many in the chamber. After prayer, many went out. I
staid and sat down; and, in a few minutes, saw my dear pastor expire. It
was a little after two, just abt. two hours from his being taken. It was

* The whole number executed during the prevalence of what is commonly called "the
Salem witchcraft" was nineteen.

t All the accounts I have seen of Mr. Willard say, that he continued in his Vic6>preflideii-
cy till his death. The last extraa from Judge SewalPs journal proves this to be incorrect..
He resigned, and bii lesignation was accepted, a month before his death.

89

very surprising. The doctors were in another room consulting what to doe.
He administered the Lord's Supper and baptized a child last Lord's day;
did it with suitable voice, affection, fluency; did not preach. Septr. 11th,
he went to lecture and heard Mr. Pierpont. At even, seemed much better
than had been lately. 'Tis thought cutting his finger might bring on that
tumultuous passion yt carried him away. There was a doleful cry in the
house." — In Rev. Dr. Sewall's journal is the following account of his
death and burial. "1707, Sept. 12. Ye Rev. Mr. Willard, after he had cut
his finger whle eating oysters, went up to his study, called his wife, thank-
ed her for her kindness, pray'd God to bless ym all; yn fell into a convul-
sion, about noon, wch, in two hours time (plus, minus,) dispatcht him, to

ye great grief and sorrow of all good men. ' "15. Mr. Willard is buried.
Ye members of ye college, ye Corporation, &c. go before ye corpse. We
all have gloves. A vast body of spectators. lie is laid in our tomb. I

went down into it. Ye dead cry, Memento mori.'

The preface to Mr. Willard 's Body of Divinity, by his successors Sewall
and Prince in 1725, commences thus: "The late reverend and learned au-
thor of the following Lectures has been so universally and justly admired
and celebrated in these parts of the world, for his eminent capacity, piety,
wisdom, his deep and perspicuous insight into the most difiicult points of
divinity, and his most judicious and accurate manner of expressing and
clearing, as well as most useful application of them, that there's no need of
our setting forth his character, either for the information of his countrymen,
or their inducement to peruse the large composure that now presents it-
self to their view. We need only say, ^'Tis Mr. Willard' Sy and tis enough
to recommend it to their high respect and diligent attention; and that it falls
not short of his other excellent performances, which, as well as his lare ac-
complishmemts and conduct while alive, havejdeservedly gained him so great
a fame and esteem among us." The Rev. John Barnard, m his "Sketch of em-
inent Ministers in N. E.," in a letter to Dr. Stiles, (1 Mass. Hist. Coll. x. 167.)
says of Mr. Willard, "He was a hard student, of great learning for that day,
of a clear head, solid judgment, excellent both in preaching and in prayer,
an exemplary Christian, pleasant in conversation, whose name is had in re-
membrance among us, and his works praise him." His writings, especially
his Body of Divinity, were in high repute Ion? after his death. A writer
in the Panoplist for 1806, on "the Neglect of the old Divines," after men-
tioning the great value of the writings of Owen, Baxter, Leighton, Flave],
and Buny an, continues thus, "Our own country was by no means deficient,
even at the eaily period mentioned, in divines of the same general charac-
ter. Among a variety of others, we may distinguish Willard, who has
illustrated all the capital topics of theology, with a degree of sagacity, judg-
ment and learning, which entitle his name and writings to affectionate and
lasting veneration." Catalogues of Mr. Willard's works may be seen
in Eliot and Allen.

Note 22. Page 15.

It is as follows. The direction. "These fore ye Revnd. Mr. Saml. Wil-
lard, Teacher to ye 3d. Church in Boston. To be communicated to ye
church." The Utter. "Revnd. Sr. These are only to informe yr. self and
church of the underwritten Generall Court's Ansr. and order, not doubting
of yr. and their obedience and complyance therewith at the time, re-
mayning Your friend and servant. Ewd. Rawson, Secty.

Boston, 11th, July 1769.

At a Generall Court held at Boston, 28th of May, 1679: In ansr. to a
motion made by some of the Reverend elders, that there might be a conven-
ing of the Elders and messengers of the churches in the form of a Synod,
fore the revisall of the platforme of discipline agreed upon by ye churches
1647; and what else may appeare necessary for the preventing schisms,
heresies, profaneness, and the establishment of the churches in the faith
and order of the Gospel: This Court doe approve of the said motion; and
order their assembling for the ends aforesaid, on the second Wednesday in
September next, at Boston. And the Secretary is required to give season-
able notice hereof to the several churches. And it is farther ordered that

12

90

the charge of this meeting shall be borne by the churches respectiyely.
By order of the Court. £dwd. Raw son, Sectrj.

Questions given in, were. 1. duest. What are the evils that have pro-
yoked the Lord to bring his judgments on New England? 2. Cluest.
What is to be done that so those evils may be reformed?" — The request was
complied with by this church. The first church in Boston seems to have
had some apprehensions that this Synod was designed to have a bearing up-
on them, and their proceedings, towards the Third Church, and in regard to
the result of the former Synod, to which they had not conformed since the
call of Mr. Davenport. They therefore acceded to this proposal in the fol-
lowing terms, "Aug. 5, 1679, Voted by ye Church, upon an order of ye
Generall Court to send Elders and Messengers to a Synod to meet the id,
4th day in Septr. Tho we doe not see light for ye calling of a Synod att
this time, yett, yr being one called, yt wt good there is or may bee mo-
tioned may bee encouraged, and evill prevented by or testimony, wee are wil-
ling to send or messengers to it: Tho wtever is there determined, wee
looke upon and judge to bee no further binding to us yn the light of God's
word is yiby cleared to or consciences." Records of the First Church, p. 39.

Note 23. Page 16.

It is as follows. ^' June 29,1680. Ye church renewed covenant, as folio weth.
Wee who, through ye exceeding riches of ye grace and providence of God,
do continue to be a church of Christ, being now assembled in ye holy pres-
ence of God, in the name of ye Lord Jesus Christ, after humble coniession
of or manifold breaches of ye covenant before ye Lord or God, and earnest
supplication for pardoning mercy through ye blood of Christ, and deep ac-
knowledgmt of or great unworthinesse to be owned to be ye Lord's cove-
nant people; also acknowledging or own inability to keep covenant with
God, or to performe any spirituall dutye, unlesse ye Lord Jesus do enable
us thereto by his Spirit dwelling in us; and being awfully sensible yt it is
a dreadfull thing for sinfull dust and ashes personally to transact with ye in*
finitelye glorious majesty of heaven and earth: we do, in humble confidence
of his gracious assistance and acceptance through Christ, each one of us for
orselves, and jojmtly as a church of ye living God, explicitly renew or cov-
enant with God and one wth another, in maner and forme following, i. e.

We do give up orselves to yt God whose name alone is Jehovah, Father,
Son and Holy Ghost, ye one only true and living God, and to or blessed Lord
Jesus Christ, as or only blessed Savior, Prophet, Priest, and King over or
souls, and only Mediator of ye Covenant of Grace; promising, by ye heipe
of his Spirit and grace, to cleave unto God as or chiefe good, and to ye Lord
Jesus Christ by faith and Gospel-obedience, as becomeUi his covenant
people, forever.

We do also give up or offspring to God in Jesus Christ, avouching ye
Lord to be or God and ye God of or children, and orselves with or children
to be his people; humbly adoring ye ^race of God, yt we and or ofiBspring
with us may be looked upon to be ye Lord's.

We do also ^ive up orselves one to another in ye Lord, and according to
ye will of God; freely covenanting and binding orselves to walke togeUier
as a right ordered congregation and church of Christ, in all ye wayes of his
worship, according to ye holy rules of ye word of God, promising, in
brotherlye love, to watch over one another's soules faithfully, and to sub-
mit orselves to ye ^discipline and governmt of Christ in his Church, and
duly to attend all those ordinances which Christ hath instituted in his
Church, and comanded to be attended by his people, according to ye order
of ye Gospel, and degrees of comunion unto which we have attained, not
resting in measures attained, but pressing afler all.

AiTD whereas the Messengers of those churches who have met together
in ye name of Christ, to enquire into ye reason of God's controversye with
his people, have taken notice of many provoking evils and procuring causes
of ye judgments of God upon N. £.; so farre as we, or any one of us, have
bin guilty of provoking God by any sin therein discovered to us, we desire
from or hearts to bewaOe it beiore ye Lord, and humbly to entreat for par-
doning mercy for ye sake of ye blood of ye everlasting covent.; and as an
expedient to reformation of tnose evils,, or wtsoever else have provoked ye

91

eyes of God*s fflory among us, we do freely engage and promise as in ye
presence of God,

First, yt we will (Christ helping) endeavr, every one of us, so to forme or
heart and life, by seeking to mortifye all or sins, and laboring to walke
more closely e with God than ever yet we have done; and will continue to
worship God, in pnblick, private, secret, and this without formality or hy-
pocrisy e; and more fully and faithfully than heretofore to discharge all cov-
enant dutyes one to another in church comunion.

Secondly, to walke before God in or houses wth a perfect heart; and yt
we will uphold ye worship of God therein continually, according as he in
his word aoth require, botn in respect of prayer and reading of ye Scrip-
tures, yt so ye word of Grod may dwell richly in us; and will do what in us
lyes to brinff up or children for Christ, yt they may become such as they
jt have ye Lord's name put upon them by a solemn dedication to God in
Christ ought to be; «nd will therefore, (as need shall be) catechise, exhort
and charee ym, to fear ye Lord, and endeavr to set an holy example before
jm, and be much in prayer for yr conversion and salvation.

Thirdly, to endeavr to be pure fVm ye sins of ye times, especially those
sins which have bin by ye late Synod solemnly declared and evidenced to
be ye evils yt have brought ye judgmts of God up N. £.; and in or place
to endeavr the suppression thereof, and be careful! so to walke as yt wee
may not give occasion to others to sin or speake evill of or holy profession.

If ow, yt we may observe and keep ys sacred covenant, and all ye branch-
es of it, inviolable forever, we desire to deny orselves and depend wholly
upon ye power of ye eternall Spirit of ffrace, on ye free mercy of God, and
merit of Christ Jesus; and where we shul faile, there to waite upon ye Lord
Jesus for pardon, acceptance and healing, for his name's sake.

This covenant was solemnly acknowledged and engaged in by the whole
church, June 29, 1680."

Note 24. Page 16.

In the letter to the Bishop of London, already referred to in note (w) p. 8,
after the statement there quoted respecting the dissentions between the
First and the Third Churches, he proceeds, '^But now, heerin^ of my pro-
posals for ministers to be sent over, (for they have very good correspond-
aBcy with some of the clarks of the Council^ they are joyned togeUier,
about a fortnight ago, and pray to God, to confound the devices of all who
«Utturbe their peace and liberties." And in other parts of the letter he says,
''In my attendance on your Lordship, I often expressed that some able min-
isters might be appoynted to performe the offices of the Church with us.
The maine obstacle was, how tney should be mainetayned. I did formerly,
and doe now propose, that a part of that money sent over hither and pre-
tended to be expended amongst the Indians, may be ordered to goe towards
that charge." '^Since we are heere immediately under your Lordship's
care, I with more freedom press for able and sober ministers, and we will
contribute largely to their maintenance; but one thinff will mainely helpe,
when no marriages hereafter shall be allowed lawfull but such as are
made by the mimsters of the Church of England." Hutchinson's Collec-
tion, pp. 532, 531, 533.

Note 25. Page 17.

''The following extracts," says the historian of the First Church (p. 130,)
''which are copied exactly from her records, will shew the formal, cautious,
yet frank and generous manner, in which the reconciliation was begun and.
completed.

"At a meeting of the First Church in Boston, Apr. 23, 1682.

"A motion to the South Church.

"Question. Whether you be willing, keeping the rule in its intireness,
and not revoking your .testimony thereto, with that rule of church order,
"which we have proposed assent unto, and is published, as the judgment of
the churches of Newenj^land platform of discipline, Chapt. 13th throughout,
to for^ye and forget aU offences, as respecting ourselyes^ that, we judge,
have justly )>een token at our dissenting brethren.^

92

^'Supposing tills pass in the Old Church.

'^Question. Will it not be expedient, that it be lovingly presented to the
dissenting brethren, and that society, by a meet person or persons, and that
they be desired to signify by writing their approbation of that rule, and,
judging any deviation from it to be irregular, and, if the return be accepta-
ble, that it will be recorded by both, in memory of an happy issue of that
uncomfortable and long breach, and the beginning of our desired peace,
which the Lord grant. Amen.

*'Voted in the affirmative together."

'^Letter from the Third Church in Boston in return to the above motion.'-

"Worshipful, reverend, and beloved.

"As we cannot but with grief acknowledge the great evil that there is in
divisions, from the sad experience which we have had of the dangerous in-
fluence which the distance betwixt you and us hath had in this land, so we
desire heartily to acknowledge the goodness of God in according your hearts
to look towards a pacification, and with thankfulness to adopt, at your
hands, the kind tender of reconciliation made unto us, to the furthering
whereof God forbid that we should wilfully put any obstruction; we rather
desire to put all the hands we have to the accepting of it; as being sensible
of the truth of what is intimated, 2 Sam. ii. 26. That ^if the sword devour
forever, it will be bitterness in the end.'

"As for the condition of accommodation, which hath been presented to us
from yourselves by the worshipful Samuel Howell, esq. and the Reverend
Mr. Allen, we are fully and freely ready to subscribe it. And, as we have
publickly, and particularly in the last synod, acknowledged the platform of
church discipline, which was agreed upon by the elders and messengers of
the churches, to be for the substance of it orthodox, so we do now in particu-
lar approve, what we do believe, the thirteenth chapter of that book tnrough-
out to be according to rule and the mind of God in his word, respecting the
case therein treated of, and that any deviation therefrom is irregular, and
wherein any of our sinful infirmities have been grievous to all or any of
your church, we ask forgiveness both of God and o? yourselves; and desire
daily to pray, 'What we know not teach thou us, and if we have done
amiss, we will do so no more.' For ourselves we are heartily content, that
all thingSj wherein we judge ourselves to have been aggrieved cease [and]
be buried in oblivion *

"The God of ^race direct you to a good and happy issuing of the great
affair, which you nave so candidly begun, and cover all the failings of hiiB
people under the robe of Christ's righteousness, granting unto us all the
blessings of the gospel of peace, and to yourselves me blessedness of peace-
makers! '

"So pray, worshipful, reverend, and beloved, your brethren in the lord
Jesus Christ, SAMUEL WILLARD,

in the name and with the free and full vote
of tbe brethren of the third gathered church
in Boston.

To the Rev, Mr, James Allen, teacher, and
Mr* John fFUwall, ruling elder, of the
first gathered church in Boston. These,

To be communicated to the church.**

"Letter from the First Church in Boston to the Third.

"At a meeting of the First Church of Christ in Boston, May 7, 1682.

"Honoured, worshipful, reverend, beloved in the Lord.

"We have received your return by the worshipful Mr. John Hull, esquire,
and the Reverend Mr. Samuel Willard, to our motion to hear, wherein you
express your thankfUl reception and full concurrence with the condition of
ficcommodation therein mentioned, which we declare to be acceptable to us.
And, wherein our sinful infirmities have been grievous to you or any of
your church, we mutually ask forgiveness of God and you. And desire all
offences we judge have been given us, may be forgiven and forgotten, de-
siring to forgive others, even as we believe God for Christ's sake hath for-
given us.

"And we further entreat, that both our motion and your return and this
conclusion may be recorded with you, as it shall be with us, in memory of a
happy issue of our uncomfortable dispute and the way of our peace.

93

<^Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our lord Jesus
Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the everlasting
covenant, m&e you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in
you that which is most well pleasing in his sight,

<^So pray, honoured, reverend, beloved, your brethren in the faith and
fellowship of the gospel, JAM£S* ALLEN.

JOHN WISWALL.
*'With the full and unanimous consent of the brethren.T

The author of the Ma^nalia adds to his account of the reconciliation
quoted in the sermon, ^< The two churches, however, continued still their
various dispositions to the propositions of the Synod [in regard to baptism
and church membership]; and it is well known tiiat the example of Bostoii
has, from the beginning, as the prophets OnCe intimated of Jerusalem, ha'd
no small efEcacy upon all the land. Book 5, p. 83. The First Church ai
last, however, it appears from their records, p. 1^, voted, March 3, 1730,31,
to conform to *^the general practice."

Note 26. Page 17.

How Mr. Ratcliffe was suppoited I have not learned. The followinr pirii^
l^al on that subject, in a letter from Randolph to the Archbishop of^Can**
terbury written during Mr. Dudley's presidency, shews the views anil
wishes of the men then in power. ^'Of the president and eighteen- merf^
hers of the Council, there is only myself, since Mr. Mason's departure f«DV
England, that is of the church or England. It was never intended thattkie^
charge should be supported by myself and some few others of our (commit
nion. I humbly represent to your Grace, that the three Meeting-houses ia
Boston miffht pay twenty shillings a week: each, out of their contvibutioiUy
towards defraying of our church charges, that sum being less per annum ihati
each of their ministers receive. Thus much relating to the affairs of out
church." Hutch, i, 350, note.

Note 27. Page 18.

The time of the Governor's ceasing to occupv the. South Meeting House
is no where mentioned, so far as l have learned. I conclude that he occu-
pied it till his deposition, in April 1689, because I find notices of his using
it when in town till near that time; and it appears (Snow's Hist, of Boston*
p. 192) that the first house erected here for Episcopal worship was finisheo
about July in that year.

The authority for the statements in relation to this tyrannical proceed-
ing is the journal of Jud^e Sewall. It will be interesting to the reader
to peruse his notices of those transactions. They are as follows. ''1686^
Wednesday May 26. Mr. Ratcliffe ye minister waits on ye Counci).
Mr. Mason ana Randolph piopose yt he may have one of ye three
houses to preach in. That is denyed; and he is granted the east end of ye
Town House, where the Deputies used, to meet, until those who desire his
ministry shall provide a fitter place." "Sabbath Deer. 19," fmentions Sir
Edmund Andros' arrival in the harbor.] "Monday, Dec. 20th." [describes
the Governor's landing, publishing his commission, swearing the Council,
&c. Then adds,] "It seems speaks to ye ministers in the Library abt.
accomodation as to a Meetinghouse, yt might so contrive the time as one
house might serve two assemblies." "Tuesday Deer. 21. There is a meet-
ing at Mr. Allen's of ye ministers and four of each congregation, to con-
sider what answer to give to ye Govr.; and 'twas agreed yt could not
with a good conscience consent yt our Meetinghouses should be made use
of for ye Comonprayer worship.^' "Deer. 22. In ye evening Mr. Mather
and WiUard thorouly discoursed his Excellency about ye Meetinghouses,
in great plainess, shewing they could not consent. This was at his lodging
at Madame Taylor's. He seems to say will not impose." "March 23.
The Govr. sends Mr. Randolph for the keys of our Meetingh., that may
say prayers there. Mr. Eliot, Frarye, Oliver, Savage, Davis and myself
wait on his Excellency, shew that ye land anc House is ours, and that we

94

can't consent to part with it to such use; exhibit an extract of Mrs. Nor*
ton's deed, and how 'twas built by particular persons, as Hull, Oliver, £100
a piece, &c." "Friday March 25, 1687. The Govr. has service in ye South
Meetinghouse. Godm* Needham, tho' had resolved to the contrary,
was prevailed upon to ring ye bell and open ye door, at the Governour's
command; one Smith and Hill, joinor and shoemaker, being very busy
about it.t Mr. Jno. Usher was there, whether at ye very beginning or no
I can't tell." "March 29. N. Last sabbath day, March 27, Govr. and his
retinue met in our Meetingh. at eleven; broke off past two, bee. of ye
sacrament and Mr. Clark's long sermon, though we were apointed to
come half hour past one; so 'twas a sad sight to see how full ye street
was with people gazing and moving to and fro, bee. had not entrance into
ye house." "Monday, Apr. 4. In ye even. Mr. Willard, Eliot, Frary and
self have great debate about our meeting for the Lord's Supper." "Tues-
day May 10. Mr. Bullivant having been acquainted that May 15th was
our sacrament day; he wrote to Mr. Willard, that he had acquainted those
principally concerned, and 'twas judged very improper and inconvenient
for the Govr. and his to be at any other house, it being Whitsunday, and
they must have ye communion; and yt 'twas expected should leave off by
13, and not return again till they rung ye bell, that might have time to
dispose of ye elements. So, remembering how long they were at Easter,
we were an'aid 'twould breed much confusion in the afternoon, and so, on
Wednesday, concluded not to have our sacrament, for saw 'twas in vain to
mrge their promise." "Wednesday June 1. A private fast of the South
Clui4 was kept at our house. Mr. Willard pray'd and preach'd in ye morn.
Mr. Cotton Mather pray'd first in ye afternoon; Mr. Moody preach'd and
m.y 'd. Mr. Willard dismiss'd with a blessing. Mr. Willard's text, Deut.
38. 36. For the Lord shall judge his people, &c, Mr. Moody's text, Ps. 46.-
10. Be still, &c. Occasion of the fast was ye putting off of ye sacra*
ment ye last term, and the difficult circumstances our Chh. in above
others, regarding the Chh. of England's meeting in it." "Sabbath June
12. Lord's Super at ye South Chh. But Chh. of England go not to any
other house: yet little hindrance to us, save as to ringing the first bell, and
straitning ye deacons in removal of ye table." "Octr. 16. Had ye sacra-
ment to-day at ye North Chh. Mr. Katcliffe also had ye sacrament, and
sent to Mr. Willard yesterday to leave Off sooner; to which Mr. WiJlard
not consenting, Govr. sent for him in ye night.'' "Friday Febr. 10,
1687, 8. Between 4 and 5 I went to ye funeral of ye Lady Andros, having
been invited by ye Clark of ye South Company. Between 7 and 8,'
(lychnst illuminating ye cloudy air) the corpse was carried into the herse
drawn by six horses, the soldiers making a ffuard from ye Governour's
house down ye Prison lane to ye South MHouse; there taken out and
carried in at ye western dore, and set in ye alley before ye pulpit, with six
mourning women by it. House made light with candles and torches*
Was a great noise and clamour to keep people out of ye House, yt might
not rusn in too soon. I went home. The ministers turn'd in to Mr.
Willard's." "Satterday, Apr. 14. Mr. West comes to Mr. Willard from ye
Govr. to speak to him to begin at 8 in ye morn., and says this shall be ye
last time, they will build a house. We begin about half past 8, yet the

SBople come pretty roundly together. 'Twas Easter-day, and the Lord's
uper with us too. "June 25. Mr. Topliff and Mr. Grecian goe to his
Excellency, and expostulat with him about his desi^ of meeting first on
sabbath-days in our Meetinghouse. Satterday June 23. Capt. Frary and I
goe to his Excellency at ye Secretarie's office, and there desir'd yt he
would not alter his time of meeting, and yt Mr. Willard consented to no

* Goodman was used as Mr. is now.

t Hutchinson, referring to this proceeding of Andros (i. 356.) says, "He threatened to shut
up the doors if he was refused, and to punish any man wtio gave two pence towards the
rapport of a nonconformist minister." This latter threat and other things of a similar
cha r acter, it seems, were not wholly without influence, for, says Hutchinson in a note p.
357, "Mr. Willard writes to Mr. Mather (then in England) July 10, 1688, 'Discouragements
■poB theliearts of the minlsteis tacroase, by reason that a licencious people take the ad van-
tMS of a liberty to withhold jnahitinance from them.' *'

I Lydums, a lamp.

95

■uch thin^) neither did he consent that Hwas in his power sa to doe. Mr.
West said, he went not to ask Mr. Willard leave. His Excellency
ask'd who the House belonged to. We told him ye title to ye House was
on record. His Excel, turn'd to Mr. Graham, and sd., Mr. Attorney, we
will haye yt looked into. Govr. sd. if Mr. Willard not ye parson, so great
Ko. assembly must be considr'd. We sd. he was master of the assembly,
but had no power to dispose of ye House; neither had others, for the deed
expressed the use 'twas to be put to. Govr. complain'd of our long
staying sabbath-day senight; sd. 'twas the Lord's Super, and had promised
to go to some other House on such dayes. Mr. Randolph sd. we knew of
no such promise; and the Govr. seem'd angry, and said he would not so
break his word for all the Massachusetts colony; and therefore, to avoid
mistakes, must give in writing what we had to say. We answered, Mr.
Randolph brougnt not any writing to those he spake to. Govr. sd. we
went off from ye Old Chh. against ye governmt, and the land ye House
stood on was bought clandestinely, and yt one should say he would defend
ye work with his company of soldiers. Mention'd folks backwardness to
ffive, and the unreasonableness, because if any stinking, filthy thing were
m the House, we would give something to have it carried out; but would
not give to build them an House.* Said, came from England to avoid
such and such things, therefore could not give to set ym up here; and ye
Bishops would have thought strange to have been ask'd to contribute
towards setting up ye New-England Churches. Govr. said, God willing,
they would begin at eight in the morning, and have done by nine. We sd.
'twould hardly be so in ye winter. Mr. Graham sd., if they had ye service
by candle light, what was that to any; and yt ye service appointed by ye
Chh. for morning could not be hd. afler noon, Sabbath June 24. They
have done before nine in ye morn., and about quarter after one in ye
afternoon: so we have very convenient time. July 1. Govr. takes his old
time agin, after our coming out, and Sir Wm. Pnips' chaplain preaches.
We were a little hurried and disappointed in ye morning, ve beU ringing
about quarter before nine." ''Satterday, Octr. 27. His Excellency goes off
to Charlestown, and so to Dunstable." ^^Oct. 28. Lord's Super at ye
South Chh. N. It seems ye Govr. took Mr. Ratcliffe; so met not at all
distinct in our House this day. Several of them with us in ye afternoon."
[Nov. 22, 1688. Judge Sewall sailed for England, where he remained till
after the deposition of Andros.]

Note 28. Page 20.

The quotations in the account I have given of Mr. Pemberton, are from
the funeral sermons by Dr. Sewall and Dr. Coleman, and Eliot's and
Allen's Biographical Dictionaries. He married, June 12, 1701, '^Mrs. Mary
Clark," who survived him, and afterwards married Mr. Henry Lloyd of
Lonff Island, father of Dr. James Lloyd of Boston. Mr. P. left four
children, three sons and one daughter, descendants of whom are now
living, some of them members of the Old South Church. — Judffe Sewall's
account of the ordination of Mr. Pemberton is as follows. '^Wednesday
Augt. 28, 1700. Mr. E. Pemberton is ordained. He preached. Then Mr.
Willard preached. Mr. Willard gave ye charge. He, Mr. I. Mather and
Mr. Allen laid on hands. Mr. I. Mather gave the Right-hand of fellow-
ship. Mr. Wigglesworth and Mr. Torry were in ye pulpit; Mr. Hubbard of
Ipswich and many ministers below. A very sreat assembly. All was so
managed as, I hope, does bode well, that the blessing of God will accom-
pany him and us. — Judge Sewall's account of the last sickness, death and
burial of Mr. Pemberton is as follows. "1716-17, Feb. 8. Mr. Pemberton

* The Governor probably intended this remark as a bit at Judge Sewall, in allusion to a
transaction thus narrated in his journal under a previous date. "March 28, 16^, OkA.
Davis spake to me for land to set a Chh. on. I told him could not, would not put Mr.
Cotton's land to such an use, and besides 'twas entailed. After, Mr. Bandolph saw me,
and had me to bis house, to see the landscpe of Oxford Colleges and halls: left me with Mr.
Batcliffe, who spake to mo for land at Cotton Hill for a Chh. wh. were going to build. I
told him I could not; first, because I would not set up that which ye people of N. E. came
over to avoid, Sdly, ye land was entail 'd. In after discoune I meiiCion'a chiefly tlie dots
in baptism, and holy dayes."

96

is yery sick. I visited him in his little bedroom next the study." <<Feb.
11. A number of the church meet at Mr. Sewall'S) and pray for Mr. Pem-
berton. Mr. Wadsworth, Dr. Cotton Mather, Mr. Colman, Mr. Webb, Mr.
Cooper, Mr. Sewall in the west room. Ps. 41. 1 — 4. sung." "Feb. 13,
Susan brings word yt Mr. Pemberton had a good ni^ht, was much better,
Yet, after noon, am sent for to him as approaching his end. When come^
was finishing his will. Then I went in to him. He called me to sit down
by him, held me by ye hand, and spake pertinently to me, tho' had some
difficulty to hear him. Mr. Sewall pray*d fervently; and, quickly after, he
expired, bolster'd up in his bed, about three quarters past 3 afternoon, in
the best chamber. The Lord sanctify it to me and all." "Feb. 18. Mr.
Pemberton is buried, between 4 and 5, m Mr. Willard's tomb. Bearers, Mr.
John Leverett President, Dr. Cotton Mather, Mr. Wadsworth, Colman,
Mr. Sewall, Webb, Dr. Increase Mather." — A list of Mr. Pemberton*g
publications may be seen in Allen's Biograph. Diet.

Note 29. Page 21.

The votes of the South Church making the offer of the House, &c. to
the First Church at this time, are not preserved in the records of the
former. They, and the letter which communicated them, were, however,
entered on the records of the First Church, where they remain, p. 102.
They are as follows.

^^ Boston, October 12, 1711.
**Reverend Gentlemen,
"The church of Christ, which I stand related to, havinjr considered the

5 resent dispersion of your flock, through the holy hand oi God, in the late
esolation of their meetin?-house, thought it a proper and necessary ex-
pression of their christian love and regards, to yourselves and flock, to pass
the votes, a copy of which I now send you, according to their desire,
which you may communicate to your church, if you think proper. The
votes were passed with the greatest unanimity and readiness. It will be to
the last degree pleasing to us to have the advantage of your gifts and
graces in every article desired. The last vote, which invites you to ad-
minister the special ordinances with us, in your turns, we hope, will be
agreeable to your church; for sure we are, it is a point of fellowship justi-
fiable by the first and strictest principles of these churches.

"The allwise God has holy ends, which he is carrying on by the present
dark dispensation your people are under; and, if it may but be serviceable
to advance the spirit of unity among these churches of Christ in this town,
whereby we shall be better qualified for the society of the assembly of the
first born above, we shall all have reason to bless and adore the holy provi-
dence of heaven.

"May our gracious God speedily and peaceably repair your desolations,
building up and beautifying your church with greater measures of his Holy
Spirit; may all under your charge be your crown and joy in the day of
Christ. This, reverend brethren, shall always be the prayer of vour anec-
tionate brother, EBENEZER PEMBERTON.

"At the meeting of the church in the south part of Boston, October 7th,
it was voted, that the Rev. Mr. Bridge and Mr. Wadsworth, pastors of the
First Church in Boston, be desired, during the present dispersion of their
flock, to carry on alternately one half of the work of preaching in this con-
gregation.

"That the deacons of this church make the same weekly allowance to
them for this service, that they do to our own pastor.

"That the Rev. Mr. Bridge and Mr. Wadsworth be desired also to take
their turns in the administration of baptism and the Lord's supper with us.

EBENEZER PEMBERTON."

Note 30. Page 21.

For accounts of this distinguished and truly excellent man the reader is
referred to Eliot and-Atten, and to Mr. Prince's funeral sermon. He was a
son of Henry Sewall, who came to this country in 1634, and made a plaii-

97

tation at Newbury. Samuel was g^niduated at Harvard College in 1671,
where he continued to reside for some time after, studying* theology. It
appears from his journal that he preached a few times, and was invited to
Woodbridg-e, a town in New Jersey which had been settled by emigrants
from Neniiury, to become their minister; but he was, says Mr. Prince, "by
the call of Providence, diverted from the service of the Christian taberna-
cle." By his marriage, to the only child of Mr. John Hull, he obtained
an ample fortune, which, with his civil influence, Mr. Prince says, he
employed **for the glory of God and the advantage of men." He waa
chosen an Assistant, and therefore, ex officio, judge of the superior Court,
in 1684, and continued in those offices till the new government was institu-
ted in 1686. In 1692 he was appointed in the new charter one of the
Council, in which station he continued till 1725. He was made one of the
judges in 1692, and chief justice in 1718, of the Superior Court, and judge
of probate for Suffolk in 1715. These offices he resigned in 1728. He was
'•eminent for piety, wisdom and learning;** and **in all the relations of life
he exhibited the Christian virtues, and secured universal respect." **He
was constant in his attendance on public worship," and on private religious
meetings, and on the duties of family and secret devotion. He was dis^
tinguished in his day for his compassion towards the Indians and the
Negroes/ As one of the Commissioners for the Society in England for
Propagating the Gospel, he exerted himself much for the promotion of the
Christianizing of the Natives, whom, he was somewhat inclined to be-
lieve, descendants of the Ten tribes. Of his own substance he built the
praying Indians (at Natick, I believe) a House of worship, which gave
Cotton Mather, in his Magnalia, occasion to apply to him the words of the
Elders of the Jews concerning the centurion, John 7. 5. **Heloveth our
nation, and hath built us a synagogue." He uniformly espoused the cause
of the Indians in the Council, when the government seemed ready hastily
or unjustly to make war against them, or to carry any oppressive measure
in relation to them into effect;* and they are often mentioned, in the
records of his private fasts, as subjects of his prayers. He reprobated the
practice of enslaving Negroes, and, some time between 1700 and 1710,
published a book or pamphlet, entitled "The Selling of Joseph," in which
he advocated the rights of this much abused portion of our race. He also
published **An Answer to Queries respecting America, 1690; Proposals
touching the Accomplishment of the Prophecies, 4to. 1713; and Pha-
nomina Apocalyptica, &c., or a description of the new heavens and the
new earth, 4to. 2d. edit. 1727. — He made a profession of religion July 8,
1677; joining the South Church, of which he continued a member, and
"one of its greatest ornaments," till his death, Jan. 1, 1730. He left seven
manuscript volumes of a journal and copies of letters, from which, as the
reader has observed, I have derived material aid in preparing this sketch,
and which have been of great use to seve.al of our antiquaries and
historians. His descendants are numerous, some of them still connected
with the Old South Church, of which one was long a pastor, and two have
been deacons, viz. his grandson, Samuel Sewall, and his great, great grand-
son, tRe late Josiah Salisbury. It is worthy of remark that, from 1692, the
date of the charter of William and Mary, to 1814, a period of 122 yeare, a
seat in the Supreme Court of Judicature in Massachusetts has been occu-
pied by some member of this family 84 years, viz. by Samuel, eldest son of
Henry Sewall, as already described, 36 years; by Stephen, son of Stephen,
youngest son of Henry, appointed judge 1739, and died chief justice 1760,
21 years; by David, grandson of John, second son of Henry, appointed
judge 1777, and resigned 1790, when he was made Judge of the District
Court of the United States, which office he held till 1818, 13 years; and by
Samuel, great grandson of Samuel, eldest son of Heniy, chosen judge ii|
1800, chief justice early in 1814, and died suddenly in June of that year,
while holding Court at Wiscasset, Me., 14 years: in all, 84 years. To this
it may be added that Jonathan Sewall, a descendant of Stephen, second
8on of Henry, was appointed Attorney General of Mass., in 1767, which
office he held till he lefl the country, a refugee, about 17^75; he waa

* See Hutch, ii. 269.

98

aflerwards appointed chief justice of the King^s court in Lower Canacfa,
which station he held till his death, and has been succeeded in it by his son. •

Note 31. Page 22.

The quotations in the accounts I have given of Dr. Sewall are^om Eliot
and Allen. Dr. Chauncey preached his funeral sermon, which was pub-
lished. The following" particulars in addition to those mentioned in the
sermon will be interesting to the reader. His baptism is thus noticed in
his father's journal. **1688, Augt. 19th. In ye afternoon Mr. Willard,
after sermon, baptized my young son; whom I named Joseph, in hopes of
the accomplishment of the prophecy, Ezek. 37th, and such like, and not
out of respect to any relation, or other person, except ye first Joseph." —
He joined the church at Cambridge, while residing at the college. Of his
private journal at least five volumes are preserved, four 12mo. in the Old
South library, and one 4to. belonging to his descendants, the Rev. Samuel
Sewall of Burlington. Of his ordination the following account is given in
his father's journal. **1713. Sept. 16. Was a very comfortable day for the
ordination. Begun a little after ten m. Dr. Cotton Mather begun with
prayer, excellently; concluded about ye bell-ringing for eleven. My son
preached from 1 Cor. iii. 7. *So then neither is he that planteth anj^ thing,'
&c. Was a very great assembly. Were Elders and messengers from 9
churches. North, Old, Colman's, Cambridge, Charlestown, Roxbury, Dor-
chester, Milton, Weymouth. Twelve ministers sat at the table by the
pulpit. Mr. Pemberton made an august speech, shewing the validity and
antiquity of New-English ordinations. Then, having made his way, went
on, ask'd, as customary, if any had to say agt. ye ordaining the person.
Took the Ch*s hand vote. Ch. sat in the gallery. Then declared, the
Elders and messengers had desired the ministers of Boston to lay on hands.
(Mr. Bridge was indisposed and not there.) Dr. Increase Mather, Dr.
Cotton Mather, Mr. Benjamin Wadsworth, Mr. Ebenezer Pemberton, and
Mr. Benjamin Colman laid on hands. Then Mr. Pemberton prayed, or-
dained, and gave tlie charge, excellently. Then Dr. Increase Mather made
a notable speech, gave the right-hand-of-fellowship, and prayed. Mr. Pem-
berton directed the three and twentieth psalm to be sung. The person
now ordained dismissed the congregation with blessing. The chief enter-
tainment was at Mr. Pemberton's; but was considerable elsewhere, two
tables at our house." — In 1731 the Rev. Mr. Sewall received the deg^e of
doctor of divinity from the university of Glasgow, and was appointed a
corresponding member of "the Society in Scotland for Promoting Christian
Knowledge." He was also appointed one of the commissioners, by the
hon. corporation in London "for the Propagation of the Gospel in New
England and parts adjacent." He was a fellow of the corporation of Har-
vard College from 1728 to 1765. He was married, Oct. 29, 1713, to "Mrs.
Elizabeth Wally," who died before her husband. Only one of his children
survived him, a son, Samuel, who was a deacon of the Old South Church
from 1763 to 1771. — A list of Dr. Sewall's publications may be seen in
Allen's Biograph. Diet.

Note 32. Page 23.

This portion of Mr. Prince's Library was "delivered over to the Histori-
cal Society, to be, by them, carefully kept in their room in Boston, and
under their care, for the use of the Old South Church and Society, said
Historical Society and the public, upon the terms and conditions follow-
ing, viz. 1. Said Tracts, Manuscripts and Treatises shall always be kept
by said Historical Society safely, in apartments by themselves in their room
in Boston and a fair record of the disposition and situation 'of the same
so kept by said Historical Society that the said Old South church and so-
ciety may always know where, and in what situation, the same are, and
may always have access to said record. And over the place where the said
Tracts, Manuscripts and Treatises are or shall be kept, the said Historical
Society shall always keep inscribed, in fair legible letters, the following
inscription^ 'The DoiTATioir of the Rev. Mr. Pbihce to the Old
South Chubch ajtd Sogiett.' 2. The Pastor or Pastors of the Old South

99

church and society shall, at all times hereafter, have a right and liberty to
inspect or use, or take away for inspection or use, any of said Tracts,
Manuscripts or Treatises, leaving a receipt for the same with said Histori-
cal Society, to return th© same after the purpose for which the same
were taken away has been answered. And any member of the said Old
South Church and society shall have like right and liberty, under like
conditions and for like purposes, producing to said Historical Society a
written order therefor signed by the pastor or pastors of the said Old South
church and society. 3. The old South church and society shall, at any
time hereafter, have a right to receive and take back from said Histori-
cal Society said Tracts, Manuscripts and Treatises, whenever, by their
▼ote, at any meeting of said church and society, they shall so vote and
determine." Recon& of the Old South church and congregation, voL 1,
p. 238.

Note 33. Page 23.

At the same meeting the church and congregation voted. That "yese
Psalms be sung without reading line by line as has been usual; except on
evening lectures and on extraordinary occasions wn ye assembly can't be
generally furnished with books." — The title of this book is as follows, "The
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs of the Old and New Testament, faith-
fully translated into English metre. Being the New England Psalm Book
revised and improved; by an endeavor after a yet nearer approach to the
inspired original, as well as to the rules of poetry. With an addition of
fifty other Hymns on the most important subjects of Christianity; with
their titles placed in order, from the faU of angels and men to heaven
after the General Judgment." — The first settlers of New England used
Sternholds and Hopkins' Version of the Psalms. With this, however, the
ministers were not satisfied, "not so much," says Ncal, **on account of their
poetry, as because they had perverted the text in a great many places."
The ministers, therefore, **set themselves" says Mr. Prince in the preface
to his revisal, *<to translate the Psalms and other Scripture Songs into
English metre, as near as possible to the inspired oirginal. They committed
this work especially to the Rev. Mr. Richard Mather of Dorchester, the
Rev. Mr. Thomas Weld and the Rev. Mr. John Eliot of Roxbury; well
acquainted with the Hebrew, in which the Old Testament, and with the
Greek, in which the New, were originally written. They finished the
Psalms in 1640; which were first printed by Mr. Day, that year, at our
Cambridge ; and had the honour of being the first hook, printed in North
America, and, as far as I find, in this whole new world. I have seen anoth-
er edition in 1647, (and I conclude at Cambridge too, there being no other
press in New England then,) with some amendments. But for a fmlhep
improvement it was committed to the Rev. Mr. Henry Dunstar, President
of Harvard College, one of the greatest masters of the Oriental languages
that has been known in these ends of the earth; who was helped as to the
poetry by Mr. Richard Ijyon, an ingenious gentleman, probably brought up at
one of the universities in England, sent over by Sir Henry Mildway as a tutor
to his son at Harvard College, and resided in Mr. Dunstar*s house. In two
or three years they seem to have completed it, with the addition of the other
songs in Scripture. And they not only had the happiness of approaching
nearer to the inspired original than all other versions in English rhyme,
but in many places of excelling them in simplicity of style, and in affecting
terms, being the words of God which more strongly touch the soul. On
which accounts I found in England it was by some eminent congregations
preferred to all others in their public worship, even down to 1717, when I
last left that part of the British kingdom." Of the character of this version
Neal speaks thus in his History of New England published in 1719. "After
all, if we compare it with those that have since been published in the
world, it must be acknowledged to be a mean performance. It keeps pretty

tors 'offer for themselves when they say that *we must consider that God's
altar needs not our polishings,' as if it were more eligible to sing the praise

100

9f

of Go<l in barbarous verse, than in more exact and elegant composures
(i, 207.) And Mr. Prince in bis preface, speaks of the New England Version
as in danger of being **wholIy laid aside in our churches, on account of the
flatnesses in divers places." — He thus describes the method he pursued iu
performing his * 'Improvement" **I. I collected all the different versions in
English.metre I could find, which are above SO, and I think all but 2; and
comparii^g the 1st Psalm in them, both with the prose version in our English
Bibles and with the Hebrew, 1 found about 20 took too great hberiy to vary
from the original; and selected 12, including the New England, as keeping
nearer; to which 1 added another chiefly for some of the poetry. II. My
endeavour then was to gain all the sentiments, especially the great, subhme
and most important in the original. And in order to this, 1st. I read over
the whole Psalm in our English Bible, with the instructive margin. 2nd.
I labored to put myself in the same external circumstances and internal case,
and to have the same sensations and views, with the Psalmist. Sd. I read
every vei*se (1) in the said English Bible: and, having the Polyglot Bible
before me, (2) in the Hebrew with Montanus' Interlineary, (3) the Septua-
gint, (4) the Chaldee, (5) the ancient Latin, (6 and 7) the Latin versions of
the Syriac and Arabic, (8) Castalio, (9) Tremelius and Junius, (10) Ains-
worth, (11) De Muis. 4th. When I met with difficulty, 1 searched the fol-
lowing famous Lexicons, (I) Avenarius, (2) Schindler, (3) Pagnine and Mer-
cer, (4 & 5) BuxtorTs 2 Lexicons, viz. Hebrew and Chaldaic, &c. (6) Leigh,
(7) Castellus, (8) Bythner, (9) Martin Albert, as also the interpretations
of Moller, Tremelius, Glassius, Ainsworth, De Muis, Hammond, Pool's Sy-
nopsis, Patrick, and others. All this only to g^in the sentiments; and then.
Iff. I looked into the New England as the groundwork, and then into the
12 other metrical versions in their order, and comparing them; in honour to
the word of God, which demands the best, tho't it my duty to use the best
words or lines in them so far as they g^ve the nearest sense of the original
and are most musical, and when they fail in either, to endeavor a further
improvenient." The words JAH, Hallelujah, Amen, when they occur
in tlie onginal, he carefully preserves. The word Jehovah, he always
writes either JEHOVAH or LORD, in large capitals. Wherever the word
Jldoncd, whose proper meaning is expressed by the word Lord^ occurs in the
original, he inserts Lord, in Italic. Wherever is the woi-d Elohim, he al-
ways writes GOD or Goos in capitals; and for the other names of God, as
Bt and its derivatives, he writes God, in Roman characters and not in cap-
itals; and wherever the word Messiah occurs in the Hebrew, he retains
the word, or inserts Cuhist. tie has also inserted notes, "some for the satis-
faction of the learned, the rest for the instruction of others, that they
may not sing in uncertainty or nveer amusement, but with understanding.
A star* signifies — // is so in Hebrew according to all the Lexicons. In such
marks as these [ ] are brief explications I tho't convenient to be inserted
for the clearer view of the sense, as in some titles &c." He began the work
April 29, 1755, and "thro' multitudes of avocations, interruptions and in-
firmities," finished it March 20, 1757. I have found in the Old South li-
brary, and there now lies before me, the very copy of the New England
version which he made use of in preparing his Improvement, with the vari-
ous changes he made written with a pen.f — I have inserted the above ac-
count of Mr. Prince' Improvement, not only because it was proper to give
the reader some knowledge of a book once used in the praises of this con-
g^gation, but also and chiefly to exhibit its wonderful author. With such
carefulness, fidelity and patience did he prosecute all his studies. His in-
dustry was perfectly astonishing. The labor of preparing^ his Chronolog-
ical History was enough for one diligent student during many years; most
of the books in his immense library contain notes, which indicates that he
had read them; he kept up a familiarity with ancient and modern langua-
ges; constantly cari'ied on a very extensive correspondence; his sermons
were all written out with care, and he performed his full share of other
ministerial duties.. Says Dr. Chauncey in his '^'Sketch of eminent Minis-

* This Improvement nf Mr. Prince was urad in public worship by the Old Sooth Soelety
ill Oetober 1786, when Watts was sabstitited.

101

ters in N. E." (1 Mass. Hlstor. Collections, x, 164.) speaking of Mr. Prince,
' 1 do not know of any one that had more learning among us, excepting
Doct. Cotton Mather; and it was extensive, as was also his genius. He pos-
sessed all the intellectual powers in a degree far beyond what is common.
He may be justly characterized as one of our great men; though he would
have been much greater, had he not been apt to give too much credit, es-
pecially to surprising stories. Ai'iotker imperfection that was really hurtful
to him was, a strange disposition to regard more, in multitudes of instances,
the circumstances of things, and sometimes minute and trifling ones, than
the things themselves. 1 could, from my own acquaintance with him, give
many instances of this. But, these things notwithstanding, he deserves to
be remembered with honor."

Note 34. Page 24.

The quotations in the account of Mr. Prince are from Dr. Sewall's funeral
sermon; and from Eliot and Alien. He was born at Sandwich, May 15,
1687. Allen in his Biog^ph. Diet, says he was a descendant of Thomas
Prince, sometime governor of the Plymouth colony; but this is an error.
There now lies before me a manuscript volume of the Rev. Mr. Prince, in
which he g^ves his descent as follows: he was the fourth son of Samuel
Prince, Esq. of Sandwich, who was son of Elder John Prince of Hull, who
came over in 1633, settled first at Watertown, and was the eldest son of
the Rev. Mr. John Prince of East SheflTord in Berkshire in England, who
•'was bom of honorable parents, educated in the university of Oxford, was
one of the Puritan ministers of the Church of England, who in part
conformed, and found great friends to protect him in omitting the more
offensive ceremonies as long as he lived."

The Churches invited to assist in Mr. Prince's ordination were * 'the Old
Chh., the North Chh., the Chh. in Brattle Street, and the New North Chh.
of this town, the Chh. in Charlestown^the Chh. in Cambridge, and the First
Chh. in Roxbury." The account of the ordination in .Judge Sewall's
journal is as follows. **1718, Octr. 1. Ordination of Mr. Thomas Prince. Mr.
Wardsworth begun with prayer, very well, about i past ten. Mr. Prince
preached from Heb. IS : 17. Mr: Sewall prayed. Mr. Incr. Mather ask*d if
any had to object; ask'd the Chh. vote, who were in the gallery fronting the
pulpit; and ask'd Mr. Prince's acceptance of ye call. Dr. Increase Mather,
Dr. Cotton Mather, Mr. Wardsworth, Colman, Sewall, lay yr hands on his
head. Dr. Incr. Mather prays, gives the charge, prays agen. Dr. Cotton
Mather gives the right hand of fellowship. Dr. Incr. Mather, when he
declared whm. the Elders and messengers had appointed to do it, said it
was a good practise. Sung Psal. 68. 17 — 20; and Mr. Prince gave the bless-
ing." — Mr. Prince was married Oct. 30, 1719, to Mrs. Deborah Denny,"
who survived him, and died June 1, 1766. Of their children, one son and
two daughters arrived at maturity, but pnly one of these, a daughter, sur-
vived their father, or was married, viz. Sarah, who, in 1759, married Mr.
Gill, afterwards Lieut. Governor, and died in August 1771, without children.
A list of Mr. Prince's publications is given iii Allen's Biog. Diet

Note 35. Page 25.

**People," says Mr. Prince (ii, 381.) "were then generally frighted, and
many awakened to such a sense of their duty as to offer themselves to our
communion; yet very few came to me then under deep convictions of their
unconverted and lost condition : nor did those who came to me then, come
so much with the inquiry. What shall we do to be saved? as to signify they
had a sense of their duty to come to the Lord's table, that they dare not stay
away any longer." And such laxness had then become prevalent among
the best ministers and churches in regard to admission of members, that
those who applied for admission with these views were received. Mr. Prince's
views on the subject are thus stated by himself, Christ. Hist, ii, 396. «*As to
my own opinion, It seems to me, that where there is a thirst for Christ and
his spiritual benefits, that thirst is raised by the Spirit of Christ: And in
raising such a thirst, he qualifies for them, shows his readiness to satiate
it» invites, requires, and gives sufficient g^unds for coming to him at these

102

pipes of living waters; tho' we mayn't be sure whether this thirst arises
from a renewed heart or no: and thither therefore should we come with a
humble sense of our emptiness and unworthiness, and with our thirsty souls
reaching forth to Ilim, to receive from his open, offered and overflowing
fulness. If I am mistaken, 1 desire to see it.'* — Mr. Prince mentions (pp.
388, 389,) other scenes of teiTor, which were followed with scarcely any
permauent religious impressions. "On friday night July 30, 1742, at
the lecture in the South Church; near nine o'clock, being very dark, there
came on a very terrible storm of thunder and liglitning: And, just as the
blessing was given, an amazing clap broke over the cliurch with piercing
repetitions, which set many a shrieking, and the whole assembly into g^eat
consternation: God then appeared *teiTible out of his high places; they
heard attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that went out
of his mouth; he directed it under the whole heaven, and his lightning
to the ends of the earth; after it a voice roared, he thundered marvel-
lously with his voice; and at tliis the hearts of many (as Elihu's) trem-
bled, and were moved out of their places,' for near two hours together.
And yet, in all these displays of the majesty of God, and terrifying
apprehensions of danger of sudden destruction, neither in this surprising
night, nor in all the course of thirty years, [during which he had be-
fore said he had been a constant preacher in Old England and New,
and those who heard him had passed under many scenes of most dread-
ful tempests of thunder and lightening,] have I scarce known any, by
these kinds of terrors, brought under genuine conviction. And what
minister has a voice like God, and who can thunder like him?* So on
Lord's day, June 3d last [1744] in our time of public worship in the fore-

,^\. noon, when we had been about a quarter of an hour in prayer, the mighty

power of God came on with a surprising roar and earthquake; which made
J .' the House, with all the galleries, to rock and tremble, with such a grating

' ,. noise as if the bricks were moving out of their places to come down and

..■'■ bury us; which exceedingly disturbed the congregation, excited tl^

' shrieks of many, put many on flying out, and the generality in motion. But

, tho' many were greatly terrified, yet in a day or two their terrors seem'd to

vanish, and I know of but two or three seized by convictions on this awful

occasion."

Note S6, Page 26.

Dr. Sewall gives, in his journal, the following account of this solemnity
**This day was observ'd as a day of prayr. by the South Chh. and Con-
gregn., to humble ymselves before ye Ld. and ask his presence in the difli-
cult and momentous affair in wch yy are engag'd. A. M. Mr. Foxcroft be-
g^n with prayr., P. M. Mr. Colman. A. M. Mr. Prinre preach'dfrom Lam.
3: 41. I prchd. P. M. from Ps. 127. 1. I hope we had ye tokens of G.'s
gracious presence with us. Ye congregation generally attended, and many
others with ym. I hope G. enabled me, in publick and private, to look
earnestly to him ys day. O L'd. hear, forge, and doe as ye matter may
require."

Note 37. Page 27.

The annexed draft is a copy of a plan of the **Pues on ye Lower flore in
ye Meeting House," evidently drawn soon after the building was finished
and the pews sold. Besides what is printed in this draft, in the orig-
inal are marked the dimensions and the price of each pew. The following
extract from the church records will further assist the reader in forming a
conception of the disposition of the congregation in the new edifice. **At
a meeting of the South Church in their Brick Meeting House,f Augt. 5,

* He is replying to the objection to the revival, that the alleged convictions were mere
"religious friglitd or fears, produced by the mere natural or mechanical influence of terrible
wordi, sounds and gestures, moving tones, or boisterous ways of speaking*,'* which be
answers by showing that "conviction is quite another soi-t of thing."

t This was the first church meeting of which tliere is any record after the oecnpancy of
the new House.

i>

i

i*

103

•

1730. Voted that the deacons be desir'd to procure some suitable person to |

take the oversight of the children and servants in the galleries, and take f

care that good order be maintained in time of divine worship ^ and that a f

^uiRcient reward be allow'd for the encouragt. of such a person.*'

Many of the readers of this sketch will remember that in the diary of the
excellent David Brainerd is the following entry, made during his visit to
Boston a short time before his decease. "Lord's day, July 19, [1747.] 1 was
just able to attend public worship, being carried to the house of God in a
chaise. Heard Dr. Sewall preach, in the forenoon: partook of the Lord's

supper at this time In the afternoon, heard Mr. Prince preach." During

I this visit, the reader will be gratified with knowing, this holy and devoted

I missionary was kindly entertained at the house of Mr. Bromfield, then a

f highly respectable member of the Old South Church; and on the Sabbath

referred to in the above extract, Brainerd sat in his pew, which was the
second wall pew on the lefl from the Milk Street door.

Note 38. Page 28.

The notices of this visit in Dr. Sewall's journal are as follows. **1740.
Septr. 18. In ye eveng. the Rev. Mr. Whitefield came to town. 19. He
preach'd at Dr. Colman's; with us 20d, with great fervour. P. M. in ye
comn. 22. A. M. at Mr. Webb's. P. M. yre was a vast assembly at Mr.
Checkley's to hear him; but were thrown into great confusion from a
groundless imaginn. yt ye galleries gave way. Several were trod to death
as the croud pressed out of ye house. 3 died almost presently; 2 since of yr
wounds. I think a lad jump'd out of ye window, and was killed by ye fall.
Others are grievously wounded. O Ld sanctify ys awful rebuke. Mr W.
preach'd in the comon. 28. Ld's day. Mr. Whitefd., havg. contind. preachg.
twice a day, somets, abroad, somets. in ye M. houses, preach'd agn. for us,
A. M., from Luke 19. 8, 9; wn, after service, yre was a collection made for
his Orphan House, amounting to ye sum of £544. P. M. at Dr. Colman's,
and a collection of d£470* O Ld. accept the offerings of yy people! 29. Mr.
Whitefield left ye town, preachg. twice a day as he went to York; preaching
also, and collecting, upon his return. Octr. 7, Mr. W. preach'd at ye New
North, collected ^£420. 9d. In our Meeting House, while Mr. Webb,
whose was ye lecture, in ye old — so grt were ye numburs. 20. P. M. in ye
comon, JS200 collected. N. B. He preach'd my lecture a fortnight before in
ye usual place. 12. Ld's day, for us, A. M. fr. Jer. 23. 6, grt. assembly. In
ye evng. Mr. W.field preach'd his farewell sermon in ye comon. fr. Phil. 1.
27, 8, to a vast assembly, suppos'd to be 20,000 or more. Blessed be G., I.
hear of no hurt receiv'd, saving one or. two fainting. 13d. He left the }

town. It is wonderful to behold a young man (abt. 26) preaching thus
twice a day, wth grat earnestness, the Gospel of Christ. Many, partly
among ye youth, seem to be affected. O let good impressns, be fix'd, and
issue in a sound conversion. Let not our goodness be as ye morng. cloud!
O God, humble and quicken me! Enable me, yy ministers, yy people, to im-
prove aright this extraordinary dispensation! O revive yy work among us!
Save yy people! I hope some of Mr. W. discourses were very affecting to
me. O Ld. teach me, yy people, to profit.?"

Note 39. Page 29.

The history of the termination of this revival in Boston in 1740—42, is
exceedingly instructive.* It continued, says Mr. Prince, to **go on as above
described without any lisp, as I remember, of a separation either in this
town or province, for above a year and a half after Mr. Whitefield left us,
till the end of June 1742." In that month the Rev. Mr. Davenport of Long-
Island, a chief promoter of the disorderly practices fallen into by a portion of
the professed friends of the revivals of that period,f came int») this pail of
the country. He arrived at Charlestown, friday evening June 25. "Lord's

* Christian History ii. 406,407,414.

t He afterwards deeply lamented bis errors, and published his "retraction." See Chris-
tian History ii. ^a%.

104

day forenoon, he attended the public worship, and at the Lord's Table,
there; but the afternoon, stay'd at his lodgings, from an apprehension of
the ministers being unconverted, which greatly alarmed us. Monday after-
noon became over the ferry .to Boston." Instead of taking no notice of
him, and thus effectually discountenancing his irregularities, the ministers
of Boston, with the best intentions but most unhappily, pursued a course in
regard to him which at once attracted universal attention to him, awakened
a general desire to see and hear him, and contributed to procure for him
sympatliy as a persecuted man. Being together at their regular Associa-
tional meeting on the afternoon that Mr. Davenport came over to Boston,
they "sent to signify that they should be glad to see him; whereupon he
presently came, and they had long and friendly conferences with him about
his conduct, on that and the following day. On thursday July 1., they
thought themselves obliged to /?uWwA a declaration of their judgment con-
cerning him;" in which, while they "own'd that he appeared to them to be
truly pious, and they hoped that Ciod had used him as an instrument
of good to many souls," they bore their "testimony against" him in several
••particulars," on account of which, they declared that they "judged their
present duty not to invite him into their places of public worship." The re-
sult, as described by Mr. Prince was, what it is very strange men of so much
sagacity did not anticipate. Upon publishing this declaration on friday,
many were offended; And some days after, Mr. Davenport thought himself
oblig'd to begin in his public exercises to declare against us also; naming
some as unconverted, representing the rest as Jehoshaphat in Ahab's army,
and exhorting the people to separate from us: which so diverted the minds
of many from being concem'd about their own conversion, to think and dis-
pute about the case of others, as not only seem*d to put an awful stop to their
awakening, but also on all sides to roil our passions, and provoke the Holy
Spirit, in a gradual and dreadful measure, to withdraw his influence. And
now a small number from some of our churches and congregations with-
drew, and met in a distinct society. The cry. What shall I do to be saved?
soon ceased to be heard. But few were added to the churches. The heav-
enly shower in Boston was over."

Note 40. Page 30.

During the united ministry of Sewall and Prince this church was engaged
with others in the discipline of the First Church in Salem. In the Cambridge
Platform. Chap. 15. Sect. 2. it is declared, **A third way of communion of
churches is by way of admonition; to wit, in case any publick offence be
found in a church, which they either discern not, or are slow in proceeding
to use the means for the removing and healing of. . . ..In which case, if the
church that lieth under offence do not hearken to the church that admon-
ishes her, the church is to acquaint other neighbor churches with the of-
fence which the offending church still lieth under, together with the neglect
of the brotherly admonition given unto them; whereupon those other
churches are to join in seconding the admonition formerly g^ven; and if still
the offending church continue in obstinacy and impenitency, they may for-
bear communion with them, and are to proceed to make use of the help of a
Synod or Council of neighbor churches walking orderly (if a greater can-
not conveniently be had) for their conviction. If they hear not the Synod, the
synod having declared them to be obstinate, particular churches approving
and accepting the judgement of the synod, are to declare the sentence of non-
communion respectively concerning them;*' &c. In 1730 or 31 there arose
great difficulties and divisions in the First Church in Salem. Jan. 30, 1733, the
Second Church in Boston received a letter from twenty-one-brethren, the
minority of the church in Salem, entreating said church in Boston to "inquire
into the irregularities of the church in Salem, and (if need be) to exercise
discipline towards them, as laid down in the Platform. " Having consider-
ed the subject at two different meetings the Second Church in Boston voted,
Feb. 6, to send a letter to the church in Salem, proposing a conference with
delegates of the church in Boston. This letter was not favorably received.
Feb. 20^ delegates from the church in Boston went to Salem to inquire into

105

the case, and on the next day sig-ned and delivered a letter of admonition
which had been previously approved bj the church in Boston. No notice
being taken of this letter and the divisions at Salem continuing, the Second
church in Boston, April 9, 1734, voted to invite the Third church in Boston,
the church at Rumney Marsh, the First church in Gloucester, and the
church in Ipswich, to join in seconding their admonition. The first three
churches appointed delegates to consider and act on the subject, who met
at Salem April 23, and the delegates of the Second church in Boston '4aid
before them the state of the case, with their proceedings in giving the first
admonition.'* The issue was a second admonition by the four churches.
This producing no good effect, the four churches invited seven and twenty
churches to unite in a Council ''upon this important occasion." Nineteen
acceded to the proposal, and sent their pastors and delegates, who met at
Salem, July 16. Afler patient inquiry, the Council declared the previous
proceedings to be regular; and being unable to obtain a conference with the

f>astor and majority of the brethren of the church in Salem, they adopted a
etter of advice to them, and adjourned to Oct. 15. At the adjourned meet-
ing, finding that their letter of advice had been without effect, and all con-
ference being still refused by the pastor and majority of the Salem church,
the Council came to their result, Oct. 18, in which they ''declare and pub-
lish, that the First church in Salem is become obstinate and impenitent in
scandal, and has justly exposed itself to a sentence of non-communion from
our several churchesj" adding "that the churches to which we respectively
belong may, out of tenderness and compassion, delay to pronounce the sen-
tence of non-communion /or the space of three months from this our declara-
tion." (See a Faithful Narrative of the Proceedings of the Ecclesiastical
Council convened at Salem in 1734.) The churches concerned waited more
than three months, but in vain; and at length proceeded formally to with-
draw communion from the church in Salem. The votes of this church in
taking this step are as follows, "Voted, (1) We approve and accept the judg-
ment and advice of the late Ecclesiastical Council, convened in Salem at the
desire of this and other churches, given in their result dated Salem, Oct.
18, 1734. (2) Agreeable to the advice of the said Council, we declare the
sentence of non-comunion concerning the Revd. Mr. Samuel Fiske and
his brethren of the First church in Salem, until they shall betake themselves
to the use of proper means of peace and healing, excepting those who are by
name excepted in the result aforesaid." The New North church, though
it had not been concerned in the previous steps, also passed sentence of non-
communion upon the Salem church, Feb. 28, 1735. (Eliot's Notices, p. 17.)
Afler several years, Mr. Fiske having been dismissed, the church in Salem
sent to the churches which had administered this discipline, "a letter of pen-
itent acknowledgment, entreating to be restored to communion;" in con-
sequence of which, the sentence of non-communion was taken off, by
the Second church in Boston, Oct. 1745;* by the New North, in the same
month; and by this church April 17, 1748.t

The following votes seem worthy of insertion in this place. "At a church
meeting, April 5, 1731, Voted (1) That in honour to his Excellency the
Governour, there be a decent canopy erected over his pew, and the charge
borne out of the church stock. (2) That the committee for building be de-
sir'd to take care of this affair, and see it accomplished as soon as conve-
niently may be. (3) Whereas the Hon. Col. Fitcn hath oblig'd this church
with a new sett ofFlag^ons, Voted, that three of the flaggons formerly used
be given to the church m Hopkinton, as a token of our brotherly respect and
love." "April 24, 1737. The brethren of the church stay'd, and Voted,
that the holy Scriptures be read in public afler the first prayr., in the morn-
ing and aflernoon: and that it be lefl to the discretion of the pastors, what
parts of Scripture to be read, and what to expound." This was doubtless
the introduction of the reading of the Scriptures in public worship in this
congregation; our fathers having long abstained from the commendable
practice, to be, in this respect as in others, as different as possible from the

* Ware's History of the Second Church, p. 52.

t The proceedings of this church in relation to the discipline of the church in Salem, may
be seen in vol. i. of its records, pp. 6S, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 108.

14

4

106

Church of England, which requires the Scriptures to be read, and prescribes
the portions for every service.

Note 41. Page 31.

The churches invited to assist in Mr. Cumming's installation were, ^'ye
Old Chh., ye North Chh., ye Chh. in Brattle Street, ye New North, ye New
South, the Revd. Mr. Pemberton's, Mr. Mather's, 5fr. Byles' Chhes. in ye
town) and ye First Chh. in Cambridge." — Mr. Cumming, after his settle-
ment in Boston, married Miss Goldthwait, daughter of Ezekiel Goldthwait,
Esq., many years Register of Deeds for the county of Suffolk.

Note 42. Page 31.

The churches invited to assist in Mr. Blair's installation were, ''The Old
Church, the North church, the church in Brattle Street, the New South
Church, the Revd. Mr. Pemberton's, the New North, Revd. Mr. Mather's,
and Dr. Byles' churches, in this town." — Mr. Blair married, in 1769, Miss
Susan Shippen, daughter of William Shippen, M. D. the elder, an eminent
physician of Philadelphia.

Note 43. Page 33.

The churches invited to assist in this solemnity were, "in this town, the
Old church, the North church, the church in Brattle Street, the New South
Church, the Revd. Dr. Pemberton's, the New North Church, the Revd.
Mr. Mather's, and Doct. Byles*; also the Revd. Mr. Hooker's church at
North hampton, and the Revd. Mr. Searle's church at Stoneham." — Mr.
Bacon, after his settlement, married the widow of his predecessor, Mr. Cum-
ming. Mr. Hunt was never married.

Note 44. Page 33.

Forty two small folio pages of vol. 2, of the records are occupied with the
proceedings of the church in relation to the difficulties between them and
Mr. Bacon. In the testimonial mven to him after his dismission it is stated,
''that the only difference which took place between -Mr. Bacon and this
church, was tnat which related to the great doctrine of atonement and im-
putation, and the practice of administering baptism to the children of pa-
rents who own the covenant, but do not join in full communion." He found
consciencious difficulties in practicing on the half-way covenant. On the
other topic he held the views for a long time past prevalent among the
orthodox ministers and churches of New England: the conunittees of the
church, with whom a large majority concurred, in their repoits and state-
ments on the subject, advocated limited atonement, and used language in
relation to imputation which would seem to imply that they considered the
sins of the elect as having been literally transferred to Christ, and his suf-
ferings and obedience literally transferred to believers. That they could
have really meant this seems impossible, yet if they did not, there was, in
regard to l^lputation, no real dinerence between them and Mr. Bacon. A
careful perusal of the whole proceedings has strongly impressed my mind
with the belief that the facts in the case were, that Mr. Bacon had become
unpopular with his people, and that some sermons he preached on atone-
ment and imputation, (from which extracts are given,) were made the occa-
sion of proceedings which led to his dismission.

Note 45. Page 33.

In commemoration of the massacre of the 5th of March 1770, the town of
Boston instituted an annual oration, 'Upon the danger of standing armies
stationed in populous cities in times of peace,* and among the first orators
were such men as Hancock, Warren, Lovel. The subject and the time of
delivering this oration were afterwards changed, from Hhe danger of stand-
ing armies, &c.* to 'the feelings which produced the revolution, &c.,' and
&om the 5th of March to the 4th of July. Dr. Joseph Warren addressed his
fellow citizens twice on this interesting anniversary. The reference in the

107

sermon is to the second of these orations, delivered March 6th, 1775. *'It
was at his own solicitation that he was appointed to this duty a second
time. Some officers of the British army uien in Boston, had publicly de-
clared, that it should be at the price of the life of any man to speak of the
event of the 5th of March 1770, on that anniversary. Warren's soul took
fire at such a threat so openly made, and he wished for the honor of braving
it. This was readily graiited. The day came, and the weather was re-
markably fine. The Old South Meeting House was crowded at an earlv
hour. The British officers occupied the aisles, the flight of steps to the pul-
pit, and several of them were within it. The orator, with the assistance of
his friends, made his entrance at the pulpit window, by a ladder. The offi-
cers, seeing his coolness and intrepidity, made wav for him to advance and
address the audience. An awful stillness preceded his exordium. Each
man felt the palpitations of his own heart, and saw the pale but determined
face of his neighbor. The speaker began his oration in a firm tone of voice,
and proceeded with great energy and pathos. He commenced with the
early history of the country, described the tenure by which we held our
liberties and property, the affection we had constantly shewn the parent
country, and boldly told them how and by whom these blessings had been
violated."* ^'On the subject of the mischief of standing armies, the most
zealous patriot could have wished for no stronger language. He adverted
to the case of ahcient Rome, and shewed how she had fallen from her
height of glory and power, by the means of her mercenary soldiers, until she
became the scorn of mankind. From this he passed to the emplovment of
soldiers in modern times; that they were necessarily the enemies of freedom
and justice, because the first principle that was taught them is, to obey their
officers, without reference to the laws of the land: that every nation which
suffered them must be finally corrupted and enslaved. He described the
event they were celebrating in the most vivid manner; pictured the actual
crime which the military had committed, and the scenes of hoiror they had
almost produced; but that the firmness of the inhabitants had prevented the
dreadful scenes that were so near taking place, and procured their dismissal
from the town; and that, if it had not been for their humanity, Ihe whole
body of troops would have been destroyed. Stronger language could not
have been used, if no threats had been uttered, or no English officer been
present.* 't This oration has been oflen printed, in the American Third
rart, &c. In regard to the conduct of the audience during its delivery, the
accounts differ. The author of the Life of Otis says, "There was no dis-
turbance, and the oration was delivered without interruption, to an admiring
and applauding audience." According to other accounts, there were not
only British officers, but also a detachment of soldiers present. Upon the
delivery of one of the strongest passages, an officer, standing in the aisle
towards the Milk Street door, turned on his heel, and said aloud, *Fie! Fie!'
Great disturbance ensued, the people supposing it was a command to the
soldiers to fire. The town clerk, however, (who sat under the ])ulpit) with
his mallet, and the intrepid Samuel Adams, by assuring the citizens that
there was no fire but that of liberty which was burning in their own bosoms,
soon stilled the audience; and the orator, who had in the mean time stood
calm and collected, proceeded without further interruption.

Note 46. Page 33.

Over the grave of Mr. Hunt in the church-yard at Northampton, is a mar-
ble monument, on which is the following inscription, "The Rev. John
Hunt A. M., Pastor of the Old South Church in Boston. Died Deer. 30,
1775. As an oiator, scholar and divine, he save bright presage of future
eminence; and his brief but exemplary life he devoted to the good of his
fellow men, until he was summoned to his higher services. By consent of
his friends in Northampton, where he drew liis first and last breath, the
Church and Congregation in Boston, who ordained him Sept. 25, 1771, and
whose ornament hefshone until death, have raised this memorial of his worth;
his more lasting praise in heaven to shine as the stars forever and ever."

* Thatcher's American Medical Biography, 1828, ii, 164.
t Tudor's Life of James Otis, p. 464.

108

Note 47. Page 34.

The following anecdote relating to this desecration of the Meeting House
is from the '^Recollections of a Bostonian/' in the Columbian Centinel of

Nov. 17, 1821.

<<I was told that a ludricous scene took place in the course of the preceding
winter. A good old woman that frequently passed the church, was in the
habit of stopping at the door, and with loud lamentations, (amidst the hoot-
ings of the soldiery) bewailed the desolation of the house of prayer. She
denounced on them the vengeance of Heaven, and assured them that good
old Dr. Sew ALL, the former Parson of the Church, would rise from his grave ,
and carry them off. A Scotch centinel was one night alarmed by an appear-
ance of what he thought was an apparition of the Doctor. He screamed
most violently and alarmed the guard of grenadiers, who were always sta-
tioned at the Province-house, then occupied by General Howe, There
was no pacifying him, until some one asked how the Doctor was dressed,
and he answered, with a large wig and gown. One of the inhabitants who
had been drawn there from curiosity, assured him it could not have been
Doctor Sewall, because he never wore a wig, which restored the poor
fellow to his senses. It was generally supposed to be a trick of one of the
English soldiers, who wished to frighten a superstitious Scotchman, and
for that purpose, had dressed himself in the clerical habit of the Rev. Mr.
Cooke, of Menotomy, which he had plundered, on his retreat at the battle
of Lexington."

During the revolutionary contest, the British armies, in various places
and in a most wanton manner, manife.sted their hostility to churches not
Episcopalian. In this town, their sacrilegious depredations were not con-
fined to the Old South Meeting House, and the other buildings and property
of that society. They also "destroyed the steeple of the West Church,
because they supposed it had been used as a signal staff. The Old North
they took down for the sake of the fuel, of whicn its massy timber afforded
abundance, 'although,' say the records of that church, 'there were then
large quantities of coal and wood in the town. The house, which was built
in 1677, was in very good repair, and might have stood many years.* "
(Hist, of the Second Church, p. 58.) In New York, they used the Middle
Dutch Church in Nassau Street as a prison, and afterwards turned it into a
riding school. The Presbyterian Church in Wall Street, they converted into
barracks, and that in Beekman Street into an hospital. And during the
Bame period the parsonage house of that congregation was burnt. ''Of the
nineteen places of worship in that city, when the war began," said the Rev.
Dr. John Rodgers in a thanksgiving sermon in 1783, "there were but nine
fit for use when the British troops lefl it. It is true Trinity Church and the
Old Lutheran, were destroyed by the fire that laid waste so great a part of
the city a few nights afler the enemy took possession of it; and therefore
they are not chargeable with designedly burning them, though they were
the occasion of it; for there can be no doubt, afler all that nialice has said
to the contrary, but the fire was occasioned by the carelessness of their peo-
ple, and they nrevented its more speedy extinguishment. But the ruinous
situation in which they lefl two of the Low Dutch Reformed Churches, the
three Presbyterian Churches, the French Protestant Church, the Anabaptist
Church, and the Friends* new Meeting House, was the effect of design,
and strongly marks their enmity to those societies. Bostony Newport^ Phil-
adelphiaf and Charleston, all furnished melancholy instances of this prosti-
tution and abuse of the houses of God.*' See Miller's Life of Dr. Rodfifera,
p. 234. ^

Note 48. Page 35.

The churches invited to meet in Council for the ordination of Mr. Eckley
were, "the Old church, the North chh, under the pastoral care of the Revd.
Mr. Lathrop, the church in Brattle Street, the New North church, the New
South Church, the Revd. Doctr. Mather's, the church under the pastoral
care of the Revd. Mr. Wight, and the chh. at Roxbury under the pastoral
care of the Revd. Doctor Gordon." — Mr. Eckley married a daughter of the

109

Hon. David Jeffries, one of the deacons of the Old South Church. Mrs.
Eckley deceased in 1825. Three sons suryive.

Note 49. Page 35.

The Anthem referred to was composed by William Selby, at that time
organist of King's Chapel. The words, of which a part only are quoted in
the sermon, are as follows, ^'Behold, God is my salvation! I will trust, and
not be afraid: For the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is
become my salvation. He hath raised up the temernacle of David, that was
fall'n; he hath closed up the breaches thereof; he hath raised up the ruins;
he hath built it as in the days of old, and caused his people to rejoice therein.
Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the nations,
make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto me Lord, for he hath
done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout,
thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel, in the midst of
thee. Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Amen." — Imme-
diately afler the delivery of the sermon to which this note is appended, this
anthem was repeated.

Note 50. Page 41.

There was another cause, which was not mentioned in the sermon be*
cause it never existed in Boston. I refer to the support of the ministry by
taxation on the members of parishes or the inhabitants of totons* This regu-
lation, with several material modifications, unhappily continues till this day,
in reference to the whole commonwealth except Boston and some other pop-
ulous places. One reason of the exemption of Boston, from the first,
from the application of this regulation may be presented in the following ex-
tract from Winthrop's Journal. "1639, (3) 2. Mr. Cotton,! preaching out
of 2 Kings 8, taught, that when magistrates are forced to provide for the
maintenance of ministers, &c., then the churches are in a declining condi-
tion. Then he showed, that the minister's maintenance should be by vol-
untary contribution, not by lands, or revenues, or thithes, &c.; for these
have always been accompanied with pride, contention and sloth, &c." —
Never did that great man preach sounder and more important doctrine. One
pernicious effect of the regulation here referred to must ever be, an(l in
New England it has been, to produce in ministers and churches a feeling of
dependence and reliance on the world, instead of upon themselves and their
Redeemer. This begets a disposition to temporise, and conform to the views
and feelings of worldly men, which gradually eats out the very spirit of
religious raith and action, and lowers the standard of religious doctrine and
practice. This influence we should expect to see first manifested in the
ministers, who are by this arrangement rendered dependent for their sup-
port on civil regulations and on tne world. And it is a most instructive
fact, that in the struggles made previously to 1662, by the world to break
down the strict scriptural constitution of the churches, the ministers were
generally found taking the lead in favoring the innovation. "Many of the
ministers and of the people in the country," says Trumbull i. 310, when
stating the occasion of the Synod of lw52, "were for extending bap-
tism, according to the determination of the general council in 1 657; but the
churches were so generally and warmly opposed to it, that it could not be
effected without a Synod. And Cotton Mather, speaking of the period
subsequent to the Synod, says, Magnalia, book 5. p. §2, "Very gradual was
the procedure of the churches to exercise that cnurch discipline of their
children which the synodical propositions had recommended. For, though the
pastors were generally principled for it^ yet in very many of the churches, a
number of the brethren were so stiffly and fiercely set the other way, that the
pastors did forbear to extend their practice unto the length of their judg-
ment, through the fear of uncomfortable schisms which might thereupon

* The first notices I have met with of the commencement of this practice were in 1640, 48.
See Winthrop's Journal^i. 34, and 93, and Hubbard's Hist. p. 413.

t Of whose influence Hubbard testifies "Whatever Mr. Cotton delivered was soon put into
an order of Court, if of a civil, or set up as a practice in the church, if of an ecclesiastical
concernment."

110

ensue.*' But in time the churches were brought over, with their ministerff^
to the views and wishes of the world. — And at this day, how are faithful
ministers and Christians, in many towns and parishes, hampered in their
efforts to promote vital religion by this legal dependence on the world.'
When will Massachusetts fully adopt and practice upon that fundamental
principle of civil and religious freedom — an entire separation between
church and state? Would she so alter her constitution and laws as to leave
religion to its own inherent, vital energy, and the promised blessing of
its Author — as to allow every religious society to form itself and continue
its own existence, and contract with and support its religious teachers
voluntarily, according to the ecclesiastical regulations of the denom-
ination to which it lias chosen to attach itself, only establishing and
maintaining the validity of contracts thus made lust as of other voluntary
contracts, and securing to each denomination the unmolested belief and
practice of its own freely adopted doctrines and mode of worship and dis-
cipline; — she would do more than can be done in all other ways, to sep-
arate her civil councils and proceedings from the improper influence of the
interests and views of religious sects, and would take the most effectual
step she has ever vet taken, having direct reference to religion, for the
promotion among her citizens of religious peace and of genuine morality
and piety. Every patriot and Christian, of whatever denomination, ought,
temperately, but diligently and perseveringly, to labor for the speedy con-
summation of such a change.

Note 51. Page 41.

"I fear," says Mr. Whitefield in his Journal, "that many [of the minis-
ters] rest in a head knowledge — are close pharisees — and have only a name
to live. It must needs be so, when the power of godliness is dwindled
awav, and the form only of religion has become fashionable amongst a peo-
ple. And again, "Many that preach, I fear, do not experimentaUy know
Uhrist; though I cannot see much worldly advantage to tempt them to take
upon them the sacred function." See Journal at New England, pp. 70, 96.
And on his second visit, he found a number of ministers who came to him
with thankful acknowledgments that they had been converted by the
blessing of God on his preaching when here before. And similar effects
attended his preaching during the second visit. In the Christian History,
i. 397, 398 may be seen an affecting acknowledgment of this kind by
Mr. Porter, then minister of the North parish in Bridgewater. I find too in
the controversies of that period about the propriety of pronouncing minis-
ters unconverted, that it seems to have been admitted on all hands that
there were a considerable proportion of such in the country.

Note 52. Page 41.

"'Tis now," said Mr. Parsons pastor of the church of the West Parish of
Lyme Connecticut, writing to Mr. Prince of Boston in 1744 an account of
the recent revival among his people, "'Tis now more than ten years since I
have seen cause to renounce Arminian principles." See Christian History
ii. 123, 124. "About this time," says President Edwards, referring to 1734,
<<began the ^eat noise, in this part of the country, about Arminianismj
which seemed to appear with a very threatening aspect upon the interests
of religion here." Works, iv. 21. New York, 1830. And in a late re-
view, m the principal Unitarian periodical, Christian Examiner, iv. 480, of
"the revival under Whitefield," it is said, "The ministers of Boston seem to
have been alarmed at the inroads which Arminianism and Arianism had
already began to make in this vicinity.'*

Note 53. Page 42.

The historv of this revival ought to be carefully studied by every minis-
ter, and might be profitably read by every Christian, at the present day.
The principal works on the subject are, "The Christian History, compiled
by Mr. Prince of Boston, President Edwards' Thoughts on the Revival in

Ill

1^40. Trumbull's History of Connecticut, vol. 2, chap. 8. Dwight^sLife
of President Edwards, chaps. 12—15.

In a manuscript volume of Mr. Prince now lying before me, is a copy of
a letter from his daughter Deborah to her aunt Mrs. Sarah Pierson, of Suf-
folk, England, obtained by her father after her decease, and dated Boston,
March 4, 1743j part of which is occupied with an account of this wonderful
attention to religion; which, as it is not very long, and gives a very inter-
esting view of the extent and power of the work, as well as of the opposi-
tion it encountered, and has never been published, will be here inserted. It
is as follows.

"In my last letter to my grandmother, which was above two years ago,
I gave some account of the Revival of religion in this town. Since which
it has spread from one end of the land unto the other; and that cry. What
must we do to be saved.** has been made almost universally in many placet.

"Without doubt you have heard various reports concerning this glorious
appearance, some perhaps greatly to its disadvantage. For it is represented
in the most odious colours by its enemies, from the pulpit and press. Some
call it the work of the Devil; others, who deny revelation, call it. Distrac-
tion; and others represent it as mere Mechanism. And they spare neither
cost nor pains to bring others to their various opinions. But lie that sits in
the heavens laughs at their vain attempts, and often discovers their deep
laid plots, and makes them turn out to the advancement of that cause whicn
they so violently oppose.

"But howmuchsoever you have heard of the errors and disorders, I
believe the one half of the glory appearing in this land has not been told
you. Indeed it is inexpressible; so great, that it is the opinion of many
eminent divines, that it is the dawning of that glorious day, when the whole
earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters coyer the
sea. It seems as if the Lord was hastily calling in his elect. Sometimes a
new face of things spreads over a whole town in a week or two's time.
Sometimes there has been an hundred struck with convictions together in
one sermon. Yea, at Portsmouth ^ it was reckoned there was a thousand
awakened to a deep concern about their souls, in about three days time.
And great numbers have come out of their distress, lively, zealous, meek
and humble Christians.

"It has been very remarkable at Middleborough, where my uncle
Thatcher lives; who, before this, was so discouraged with his unsuccess-
fulness that he was upon the point of leaving his people. Sometimes there
would not be above 2 or 3 in a year join to me church: and now, in a little
more than half a year, he has taken in 150; the most of whom give a very
satisfactory account of the work of God upon their souls. It has been as
remarkable in many other places. One minister in the country told my
father, that there was not one family in his parts but had one or more in it
awakened. Another writes him word that, in another town, there were
200 hopefully converted in two months time. Vast numbers of Indians
have, to all appearance, been called out of darkness into his marvellous
light.

"In this day of great grace, in one place, where great numbers of them
live, who would hear nothing of the Gospel, but were most obstinately bent
against it, and zealous for the worship of their false gods, when one of our
zealous ministers went to preach, at first they were very surly and would
hear nothing, but told the minister they did not want him there. But he,
inspired wim a divine courage and a most ardent love to Christ and their
perishing souls, would not leave them so; but, when night came on, laid
nim down to sleep upon the ground in one of their wigwams. And though
he was in danger of^ being murder'd, and only one Englishman with him,
such was his confidence m God, that he slept very securely; and when
waked in the middle of the night, by the Indians getting up and coming
into the wigwam with their large sticks, only said to his companion,
'Brother, if the Lord has any work for us to do, we are immortal till it is
done, and if he has not, they will only give us a sweet push into eternal
rest.* But the Lord suffered them not to hurt them. And in the morning,
the minister fell to exhorting and pleading with them, with so much ear-

--. *i-— ■

112

nestness and affection as something moved them; and they told him, if he
would go on the side of a hill where there was no snow (it being winter)
they would hear him. So he did; and they sent and gathered a great num-
ber together. And while he was saying the cxv Psalm, of the vanity of
the idols of the heathen, they were convinced that the idols which they
and their fathers had worshipped from time immemorial, were no gods, and
asked the minister what they must do with them. He told them they must
burn them immediately. Some of them ran and fetched four images, which
they said they and their fathers had worshipped, and burnt them, with
indignation at their own stupidity. By this tney were prepared to receive
the Gospel; at the preaching of which great numbers were brought under
deep conviction of their lost condition by nature, and of their absolute
need of Christ. And numbers have attained to a joyful discovery of his
all-sufficiency and readiness to save even them, and give a clear and
satisfying account of their closing with him by faith: They discover a
great distrust of themselves; and, sensible of their own ignorance, are glad
of instruction, and very earnest to learn to read, that they may know the
will of God in his word. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in
our eyes. I could not forbear giving you a particular account of this
remarkable occurrence, it was so pleasing. But I must conclude. So
numerous are the triumphs of our glorious Redeemer over his enemies in
this day of his power and grace, it would fill volumes to be particular.*'

Note 54. Page 43.

The proofs of the prevalence at the period here referred to, of the
prejudices mentioned against experimental religion, and to a great extent
of Arminian, and to some extent, though covertly in most instances at the
time, of Arian, doctrines, are express and abundant. President Edwards,
in his farewell sermon at Northampton in 1750, speaks thus of JlrmiTuamsm
and doctrines of like tendency. ^'Tne progress they have made in the land
within these seven years, seems to have been vastly greater than at any
time in the like space before: and they are still prevailing, and creeping
into almost all parts of the land, threatening the utter ruin of the credit of
those doctrines which are the peculiar glory of the Gospel, and the interests
of vital piety." ^^And if these principles should greatly prevail in this
town, as they very lately have done in another large town I cotdd name^
formerly greatly noted for religion j and so for a Umg time, [Boston, no
doubt,] it will threaten the spiritual and eternal ruin of this people, in the
present and future generations." Works, i. 649, C50, New York, 1830.
And in the preface, dated May 26, 1757, to the first edition of his treatise
on Original Sin, (8vo. Boston, 1758,) referring to Dr. Taylor's book on that
subject, which advocated the Arminian or Pelagian doctrine, he says, "No
one book has done so much towards rooting out of these western parts of
New England the principles and scheme of religion maintained by our
pious and excellent forefathers, the divines and Christians who first settled
this country, and alienating the minds of many from what I think are
evidently some of the main doctrines of the Gospel." "This book has
now for many years been spread abroad in the land, without any answer
as an antidote; and so has gone on to prevail with little controul."
Dr. Bellamy, in 1750, said, in the preface to his "True Religion Delin-
eated," "It has doubtless appeared as a thing strange and dark to many
pious persons, and occasioned not a little perplexity of mind, to observe
what has come to pass in New England since the year 1740. That there
should be so general an outpouring of the Spirit, so many hundreds and
thousands awakened all over the country, and such an almost universal
external reformation, and so many receive the word with joy; and yet, after
all, things come to be as they now are: so many fallen away to carnal
securitv, and so many turned enthusiasts and heretics, and the country so

Senerally settled in their prejudices against experimental religion and the
octrines of the Gospel, and a flood of Arminiardsm and immorality ready
to deluge the land." Works, i. 49. And in a letter to Scripturista, pub-
lished in 1760, and designed as a warning against prevailing errors, he

113

says, ''But perhaps you will say, 'The Calvinists are too suspicioiui
already. There are no Arminlans, no Arians, no Socinians, &c. among bs.
The cry is raised by designing men, merely to answer political ends.' Oh,
ray good Scripturista. O, that this were indeed the case ! O, that our fears
were quite groundless ! How soon would I believe it, if you could help
me to 'see just reason for it.' But how would the party through New
England laugh at our credulity in Connecticut, if their friends among iw
could make us believe all to be safe, till they could carry their points here,
as they have elsewhere. In New Hampshire province, this party have
actually, three years ago, got things so ripe that they have ventured to
new-model our Shorter Catechism; to alter, or entirely leave out, the
doctrines of the Trinity, of the decrees, of our first parents being created
holy, of original sin, Christ satisfying divine jysticej effectual catling, jus-
tification, tuloption, sanctification, assurance oj God's love, perseverance m
grace, &c., and to adjust the whole to Dr. Taylor's scheme. And in their
preface to this new catechism they tell the world, that 'The snarling of
party bigots will be little regarded;' i. e. if all the Calvinists in the country
are disobliged to see their whole scheme given up, they do not care. They
look upon us all as snarling bigots, not to be regarded. This is honest:
now they speak their hearts, and tell the world how they feel! Come from
New Hampshire along to Boston; and see there a celebrated D. D., at the
head of a large party! He boldly ridicules the doctrine of the Trinitv, and-
denies the doctrine o£ justifi,cation by faith alone, in the sight of all the
country, in his book of sermons. Come nearer home," <&c. Works, iii.
386, 387. — In the records of the Convention of Congregational Ministers of
Massachusetts, is the following^ entry. Meeting May 31, and June 1, 1758.
"A Proposal made by Revd. Dr. Sewall to bear Testimony against the
dajQgerous Errors in Opinion and Corruptions in Practice which are pre-
vailing among us, and to declare our Adherence to the Doctrines of the
Gospel as these have been handed down to us by our Fathers in the Con-
fession of Faith owned and consented to by the Elders and Messengers of
the Chhs. in New England, May 12, IGdO. The Question beingr pat,
whether the Convention would act on this Proposal, it passed in ye r^effa-
tive." — In the Life of the celebrated Dr. Hopkins of Newport, p. 95, is uie
following statement. "In 1768, a sermon which I preached in the Old South
Meeting House in Boston, was published at the desire of a number of the
hearers. The title of it is, 'The importance and necessity of Christiana
considering Jesus Christ in the extent of his high and glorious character.'
The text, Hebrews iii. 1. It was composed with a design to preach it In
Boston, as I expected soon to go there, under a conviction that the doctrine
of the divinity of Christ was much neglected, if not disbelieved, by a wwmber
of the ministers in Boston,' ' — And in a letter from the late President John
Adams to the late Rev. Dr. Moi|^e of Charlestown, dated May 15, 1815,
and subsequently published in me Christian Disciple, the writer says,
"Sixty five years ago, my own minister. Rev. Lemuel Bryan^ Dr. Jona-
than Mayhew of the West Church in Boston; Rev. Mr. Shate of Hinghun;
Rev. John Brown of Cohasset; and, perhaps equal to all, if not above all.
Rev. Mr. Gay of Hingham, were Unitarians. Among the laitv, how many
could I name, lawyers, physicians, tradesmen, and farmers. 1 could fill a
sheet, but at present will only name one, Richard Cranch, a man who hM
studied divinity and Jewish and Christian antiquities, more than any
clergyman now existing in New England. More than fifly six years ago, I
read Dr. Samuel Clarke, Emlyn," fe.

Note 55. Page 44.

In the summer of 1747, the excellent David Brainerd, as already men-
tioned, spent some time in Boston, with a view to the recovery of hie
health. While here he says in his Diary, "I had many visitants; with
whom, when I was able to speak, I always conversed of the things of
religion; and was peculiarly assisted in distinguishing between the true and
false religion of the times. There is scarcely any subject, which has been

15

114

matter of controversy of late, but I was, at one time or other, compelled to
discuss and shew my opinion, respecting it; and that frequently before
numbers of people." And his biographer says, ^'Before he came away, he
had occasion to bear a very full, plain and open testimony aeainst that
opinion, that 'the essence of s&v'ms faith lies in believing that Christ died for
me in particular, and this is the first act of faith in a true believer's
closing with Christ.' He did it in a long conference he had with a gentle-
man, who has ver^ publicly and strenuously appeared to defend that
tenet." D wight's Life of Brainerd, pp 409, 413. — Abundant experience has
evinced, that this mistaken view of faith tends strongly to produce a prac-
tical Antinomianism. It renders the preaching of those who embrace it,
almost exclusively what has been often called 'privilege preaching,' in
which the obligations of saints and sinners are almost entirely left out of
view, and, of course, the truth exhibited is comparatively powerless. It is
evident, from the sermons that were published, and from the habitual char-
acter of the texts of those not published as preserved in journals, &c., that
the preaching of the ministers nere, who meant to adhere to the Calvinistic
faith, at the time now referred to, was very much of this character. And
from Dr. Bellamy we learn that publications tending to the same result,
had been extensively circulated, and exerted much influence in New Eng-
land, before 1759, when he published, in opposition to these views, his
''Letters and Dialogues on Tneron and Aspasio." With the same views,
he published in 1762, a treatise on ''The Glory of the Gospel;" and in
1763, "A Blow at the Root of the refined Antinomianism of the present
age."

Note 56. Page 45.

The Semi-Arians believed that the Son is, not of the same, but of Uke
substance, with the Father, derived or emanating from the Father, possess-
ing all divine attributes except literal self-existence and independence and
alraolute eternity. The theory of the Rev. Noah Worcester D. D. is sub-
stantially the same, viz. that Jesus Christ "is neither the self-existent God,
nor a self-existent Person, but a being who properly derived his existence
«nd nature from God." Bible News. Third edition, pp. 55, 57. The evi-
dence which has compelled me to conclude, and constrained me in candour
to state in the sermon, that Dr. Eckley adopted this scheme is the follow-
ing. Pages 7 and 8 of the "Address to the Trinitarian Clergy" annexed to
the work just referred to, its author, speaking of the reception his book had
ikiet with from "Arians and Socinians," says, "others mav have been pleas-
ed, because they thought mv sentiments in the highest degree honorary to
the Saviour of the world. This I have abundant reason to suppose was the
case with Uie late Dr. Eckley, whose pietv and candour coula not secure
him from reproach."* To this passage is appended this note. ^^Extracts
from Dr, Eckley' s letter to my brother of Salisbury. 'My plan, when I saw
you, as I think I intimated, respecting the Son of Goo, was very similar
to what your brother has now adopted. The common plan of three self-
existent persons forming one Essence or infinite Beings and one of these
persons being united to a man, but not in the least humbling himself or suf-
fering, com^etely leads to and ends in Socinianism; and though it claims
the form of orthodoxy , it is as a shadow without the substance; it eludes in-
spection; and I sometimes say to those who are strenuous for this doctrine,
tnat they take away my Lord, and I know not where they place him.' —
*The orthodoxy, sor called of Waterland, is as repugnant to my reason and
views of religion, as the heterodoxy of Lardner; and I am at a loss to see
that any solid satisfaction, for a person who wishes to find salvation through
the death of the Son of God, can be found in either.' — 'I seek for a plan
which exalts the personal character and attributes of the Son of Goo in the

*Tbe eonnexion in which Dr. Eckley 's name is here introduced, fairly implies that Dn
Worcester considered him an Arian or a Socinian. But he was neither*, he had swerved
ftom no other article of the orthodox faith but that of the essential divinity of Christ; and
In relation to this, his views were not Socinian, nor Arian, but, as stated and the evidence
now to be presented compels us to conclude, Scmi-Arian.

%

115

highest possible degree. The plan which jour brother has chosen does this.
—-The scheme he has adopted affords light and comfort to the Christian. I
have long thought so; and I continue to think I have not been mistaken.'-—
In a letter to myself the Doctor wrote thus, ^VVhat you have admirably well
said, Sir, respecting the likeness of a Son to his Father, and of the Son
of God*s possessing the same nattare (of consequence divine) with the Fa-
ther, resulting from the fact of his being his begotten and (non Son, is suf-
ficient in my mind as the ground or reason oi his exaltation to the high
rank you conceive him to hold in the system; God of God, Light of LdSn
— ^to whom the Father hath given to have life in himself<— to wnom ne
may make all possible communications as to his ovm Son — may ^ive to
him all power in heaven and earth, puttin? all things under him, hut
Himself— BetLt him at his own right hand on uie throne, and command aH
men to honor him as the angels do in heaven.' — Thus the good man, 'being
dead, yet speaketh.' "

Note 57. Page 45.

Mrs. Mason was the second wife of Mr. Jonathan Mason sometime tt
deacon of the Old South church. Her mother, the wife of Mr. Hugh Vans
a Scotch merchant settled in Boston, was a daughter of the Rev. Mr.
Pemberton minister of the Old South. Mrs. Mason was greatly distin-
guished for intelligent, consistent and devoted piety.

Mrs. Waters was a daughter of Thomas and Sarah Dawes, members of the
Old South Church, and was bom Jan. 13, 1721. At sixteen years of age,
she joined the church of which her parents were members, Feb. 8, ITSG;
but, as she afterwards had no doubt, was at that time destitute of true piety^
''The world was still her idof; the love of self her ruling passion; and she
soon relapsed into a state of great stupidity and sloth." She was consider-
ably moved bv the preaching of Mr. Whitefield in 1740; and subsequently,
under that ojf Mr. Tennent, was effectually awakened, and brought to a
saving knowledge of Christ. She lived, a devoted and exemplary Chris^
tian, to near the age of ninety-six, and died Nov. 22, 1816. Siie was die
founder of the female prayer meeting alluded to in the sermon, of which
the following account is given in her Memoirs by the late Rev. Mr. Hunt-
ington.

"Convinced of the necessity, and utility of prayer; and encouraged by
the examples of union in this exercise, recorded in the sacred volume; she
proposed to several of her youn^ female friends, who were 'partakers of
like precious faith' with herselr, to appropriate one afternoon of every
week to this most delightful purpose. The proposal was ffladly embraced.

"Unwilling, however, to act unadvisedly on a subject ot so much impor-
tance, they applied to their respected pastor, the Rev. Mr. Prince, wnocre
daughter was one of the number, for counsel. Gratified to find they weii^
so piously disposed, he encouraged them to carry their wishes into efiTect;
and assured them of his readiness to give them all the assistance in hi»
power. Desirous of avoiding all ostentation, and as far as possible, publi<n-
ty, the execution of their purpose was for a considerable time delayed, fot
want of a suitable place at which to meet. At length, encouraged by thfr
promise, 'if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of G(3, who giveth liberally
and upbraideth not, and it shall be ^iven him;' they set apart a day, oa
which, unitedly to implore the Divine direction. Immediately after, a
striking providence relieved them from their embarrassment, and confirmed
their faith in the efficacy of prayer. Miss Dawes, while returning home
from the meeting, through Portland street, observed a lady with whom i^
was unacquainted, beckoning to her to approach. 'I hear,' said she, 'my
dear, that you have found Christ.' 'I trust that I have,' was the reply;
'and He is the chief est among ten thousand, and altogether lovely.* 'Come
in, come in,' said the lady, '1 want to see and converse with you.' The
invitation was readily accepted. Miss Dawes then communicated to her,
in compliance with her request, the change through which she had passed;
and concluded, with mentioning the purpose, for which she, and her Chris<
tian companions had been engaged that afternoon. 'My dear young

116

friend/ said the lady, *God has sent you here. I liave this day been kneel:
ing in that place (pointing to a stair-case in sight) intreating him to open
the way for such a meeting as you contemplate, in my house. 1 am much
eonfined at home; and of course deprived in a great measure of the privi-
leges which others enjoy, who 'speak oflen, one to another/ and to God.
Nothing could delight me more than to have you convene under this roof.
There is but one difficulty which I can think of in the way. My husband,
though kind and affectionate to me, is not a man of religion; and may per-
haps object. He is out now. But I will ask his consent as soon as he re-
turns, and then let you know the result.* The lesult was as favorable as
could have been desired. A place being now provided for the meeting; the
little band, that the design of their union mignt not in future be frustrated
by the admission of unsuitable associates, requested Mr. Prince to draft
tnem a form of covenant, confession of faith, and rules of discipline, which
every member should be required to subscribe. This excellent man cheer-
folly complied with their request; earnestly commending them to 'Him,
who despise th not the day of small things.'

''The society met eighteen years at the house of this pious lady. At the
expiration of tiiat time, her husband became dissatisfied; and another place
was procured. It was not long, however, before he regretted the removal
—confessed that nothing in his worldly affairs had succeeded to his wishes
since; and begged that nis house might a^ain become an house of prayer.
Rejoiced at the change in his mind, the society immediately returned to the
place where they at first convened; and which, so many seasons— delightful
and refreshing seajsons of communion with God, and one another, had en-
deared. There they continued to meet, until the British took possession of
Boston, in 1775, when they were dispersed.. Afler the evacuation of the
town, they again assembledf as before, though in a different place; and have
continued to do so, to the present day; the vacancies occasioned by death,
and otherwise, being supplied, and more than supplied, by the addition of
new members.*'

In the time of the revival in 1740 — 42 many private meetin&rs for
prayer and religious conference were instituted, among males as welias fe-
maies, some oi which continued till the revolutionary war. At least one
composed of male members of the Old South Church, was resumed upon
the return of the inhabitants afler the departure of the British troops. It
was again discontinued ailer three or four years, and never revived.

Note 58. Page 48.

The churches invited to assist in the ordination of Mr. Huntington were,
"the Congregational churches in this town; the church at New Haven, un-
der the patoral care of the Rev. Doct. Timothy Dwight; the church at
New London, under the pastoral care of the Kev. Abel McEwen; the
church at Goshen, under the pastoral care of the Rev. Asahel Hooker; the
church at Charlestown, imder the pastoral care of the Rev. Doct. Jedediah
Morse; and the church at Roxbury, under the pastoral care of the Rev.
Thomas Gray." — In 1809, Mr. Huntington married Miss Susan Mansfield,
daughter of the Rev. Achilles Mansfield of Killincworth, Conn. Mrs.
Huntington deceased in 1823. Her Memoirs have since been published.
A son and three daughters survive.

Note 59. Page 49.

The following particulars respecting Dr. Eckley, in addition to those

S'ven in the text, are from his funeral sermon, by the Rev. Dr. Lathrop of
e Old North Church. "Dr. Eckley was born in the city of London, [Oct.
11. 1750. O. S.,] and received the early part of his education in his native
country. When he was about 17 years of age, his father removed his fara»
ilv to America, and settled himself on an estate in New Jersey. Soon
after he placed this son in the college at Princeton, where he commenced
bachelor of arts in the year 1772. His theological studies, from the time of
his receiving the first honors of the college to his preaching, were under
the direction of distinguished divines; and nis first appearances in the pul-

^

117

pit were such as gave his friends great satisfaction." '^The college in
which Mr. Eckley received his education, conferred on him the degree of
doctor in divinity, after he had been settled in the ministry about 15 years."

Note 60. Page 50.

The ministers and churches invited to the Council called for the ordina^
lion of the present pastor were, "Rev. Dr. Nott, President of Union College;
the Rev. Professors Alexander and Miller of Princeton New Jersey; uie
Second Presbyterian Church in Albany, under the pastoral care of the Rev.
Mr. Chester; the First Congregational church in West Springfield, under
the pastoral care of the Rev. Mr. Sprague; the Rev. Professors of the The-
ological Institution at Andover, and the church under their care; together
with all those pastors of churches who have, in conjunction with the said
professors, aided in supplying our pulpit since the lamented decease of our
late pastor the Rev. Mr. Huntington, with their respective churches, and in
addition thereto, the West Church in Boston, under the care of the Rey.
Mr. Lowell. The following is supposed to be a list of the pastors intended
in this vote, viz. Messrs. D. Huntington, Codman, Storrs, Gile, Dwight, Fay,
Holmes, Osgood, Edwards, Oliphant of Beverly, Cornelius, Worcester, Em-
erson of Salem, Emerson of Reading, Walker of Danvers, Green of Readi*
ing, Rockwood, and Jenks."

Note 61. Page 54.

Of Madam Norton previous to her marriage, I have been able to find no
account, except the following hint in the life of her husband in the Magna-
lla. "In the year 1634, having married a gentlewoman both of good estate ankd
good esteem, he took shipping for New England,'' &c. Mr. Norton, left
no children.

The land now occupied by the Old South Meeting House, it would seem
from the following extracts from Winthrop's Journal, i, 318, came very near
beinff possessed tor a similar purpose by the First Church. <^Nov. 161^.
Their old meeting house being decayed, and too small, they sold it away^

and agreed to bulla another But there grew a great difference among the

brethren where this new one should stand. Some were for the greenj
(which was the governor's first lot, and he had yielded it to the church, &c.);
others, viz. the tradesmen especially, who dwelt about the market-place,
desired it might stand still near the market, lest in time it should divert the
chief trade from thence. The church referred it to the judgment and deter-
mination of five of the brethren, who agreed that the fittest place (all things
considered) would be near the market; but, understanding tnat many of £e
brethren were unsatisfied, and desired rather that it might be put to a lot,
thev declared only their opinions in writing, and respited the full determi-
nation to another general meeting, thinking it very unsafe to proceed with
the discontent of any considerable part of the church. When the church
met, the matter was aebated to and fro, and grew at length to some earnest-
ness, &c.; but, afler Mr. Cotton had cleared it up to them, that the remov-
ing it to tiie green would be a damage to such as dwelt by the market, who
had there purchased and built at a great charge, but it would be no damage
to the rest to have it by the market, because it would be no less, but rather
more, convenient for them than where the former stood, they all yielded to
have it set by the market-place; and, though some remained still in their
opinion that the green were the fitter place, yet, for peace sake, they yielded
to the rest by keeping silence while it passed."

It appears from Suffolk Records, Lib. 1, Fol. 102, that John Winthrop of
Boston conveyed to his son Stephen Winthrop, 12. (9.) 1643, and recorded
26. (1.) 1648, ^'All that my lot or parcel of land in Boston, called the Greene,
lyeing by the Spring" [in what is now called Spring Lane]; reserving to
himself and Margaret his wife the use of half of it, and half of the buildmga
to be thereupon erected, <^for the term of their lives and the longest liver."
And from Lib. 3. Fol. 257, it appears that, on the 26th of March 1659, and
recorded July 28, 1659, a conveyance was made as follows, viz. ^^ Judith
Winthropp of the Cittie of Westminster in the County of Middlesex, Widow,

118

Relict of Stephen Winthropp late of James Street in Westminster Esqr. de-
ceased John Chamberlaine of the Cittie of Westminster Esqr. and Thomas

Plumpin, Cittizen and Merchant Taylor of London — Executors of the last
Will and Testament of the said Stephen Winthropp — to John Norton,
Teacher to the Church of Boston — for the sum of £200,0,00 — all that Mes-
suage or Tennement with the appurtenances, and one Garden or Gfurden
platt, to the said Messuage or Tenement adjoining and belonging, Contayn-
uig togeUier in the whole by estimation One Acre, be the same more or
lesse, now in the tennor or occupation of the said John Norton or his assigns,
scittuate lying and being in Boston, which Messuage or tenement and Uar-
4en or Garden platt, doe abutt on the highway leading from Boston to Rox-
biiry on the West, on the ground of Aamos Richardson the highway there
leacung to the Spring and the ground late of William Tilley on the North
part, upon the ground late of William Hilliard Esq. and Robert Knight on
Che East, and on the highway there leading to the sea side on the South."

Mrs. Norton's first deed was to ^^Capt. Thomas Savage, Capt. William
Dayis, Mr. Hezekiah Usher, Mr. Edward Rawson, Mr. John Hull, Mr.
Peter Oliver, Mr. Josiah Scottow, Mr. Edward Ransford, Mr. Richard Trus-
dall, and Mr. Jacob Eliott, and to such as they shall associate to themselves,
their heirs and successors forever; for the erecting of a House for their as-
sembling themselves together publicly to worship God, as also the erecting
of a Dwelling-house for such minister or ministers as shall be by them and
their successors from time to time, orderly and regularly admitted for the
pastor or teacher to the said church or assembly, and for the acconmiodation
of the said dwelling house for the minister or ministers as shall from time to
time so be chosen as aforesaid, and for the accommodation of the Meeting-
House with convenient passages of ingress, egress and regress for the people
that shall there, from time to time, assemble as aforesaid, and for no other
intent, use or purpose whatsoever." Suffolk Rec. Lib. 6. folio 26. — Her
second deed, after referring to the former one, and to the grantees therein
named as '^ erecting a Meetmg House on the place and becoming a church
of Christ with whom I have had communion ever since," ^^absolutely, clearly,
and folly grants and confirms" the piece of land described, <<unto the said
Thomas Savage, Edward Rawson, John Hull, Joshua Scottow, Edward
Raynsford and Jacob Elliot yet alive, and to such as they have associated
onto them in church fellowship, or shall be associated to them and to their
heirs and successors forever, for the ends and purposes in the first above

mentioned deed of April the first 1669 fully and amply declared:" ''to

have and to hold the granted peace or parcell of land, with the house there-
on erected, with the libertyes, privileges and appurtenances thereunto
bounded and belonging as above expressed, for the ends and uses of the
ministry that now is, or from time to time shall be, called by them, the said
Thomas Savage," &c. ''and such as now are associated to them, or shall be
associated to that Church society, forever, their heirs and assigns, for
their public worshipi>ing of God, for the use of their ministers or ministry
orderly chosen by said society, being the Third Church of Christ in Boston,
firom time to time, and at all times, forever." Suffolk Rec. Lib. 207, folio
241. And the following is a copy of the clause in her will which gave the
remainder of the property, "/^em, I give and bequeath unto the Third
Church of Christ in Boston, my now dwelling house, with all the land be-
longing to the same, as it is situated near the Third Meeting House in Bos-
ton aforesaid, with all profits, privileges, rights and appurtenances whatso-
ever to the same belonging or appertaining, for the use of the ministry in the
said church successively forever."

The two ancient parsonage houses were occupied by different ministers
of the church as follows: Tne one on the main street, by Mr. Thatcher, Mr.
Willard, Mr. Prince (who says in the advertisement to his Annals H, Win-
throp "deceased in the very house I dwell in.") The one built in 1710 on
Milk Street, was occupied by Mr. Pemberton, Dr. Sewall, Mr. Bacon. Of the
present parsonage houses, immediately afler their completion in 1810, Dr.
Eckley moved into the west one, and Mr. Huntington into the other. After

119

Dr. Eckley's death, Mr. Huntington moved into the west house; which has
ever since been occupied by the pastor.

There have been several instances of repairs on the Meeting House, since
its reoccupancy in 1783; the principal of which were, in 1814, when the house
was whitewashed &c. and painted on the outside fq^ the first time; in 1824,
when the house was new glazed, with new window sashes, &c., and furna-
ces erected for warming the house, and the brick wall built on the west
side of the society's land, &c.; and in 1828, when the house was again
whitewashed, painted inside and out, &c. &c. At the same time the stores
were altered, and fitted up in the modern style. — In Sept. 1820, the society
appointed a committee to procure an organ. One was procured in London;
built, expressly for the society, by Mr. Thomas £liott. Its cost in London,
packed ready for delivery to the ship, JC1,000 sterling. It was received in
the fall of 1822. Its whole cost to the society, difference of exchange,
transportation, jputting up, &c. was ^7,128. It is a very superior instrument.
A description of it was published in the EzUepiadjfonaeily edited in this city,
by Mr. John R. Parker, vol. 3. p. 133.

Note 62. Page 54.

It would seem from Judge Sewall's journal that meetings of the congre-
gation had been held in a tew instances before this time. '^1711, 12, Mid-
week, April 2. Congregational meeting at South Ch. What ye Church
had done in their nomination [of his son Joseph as pastor] was, by silent
vote, approved." April 25, the church voted Joseph a call. '^Lord's day,
May 4, 1712. Mr. Pemberton speaks to the congregation; and, by a silent
vote, Mr. David Jeffries, Col. Thomas Savage and Capt. John Gerrish are-
appointed to join with ve church's messengers to acquaint Mr. Joseph
Sewall with his election.

Of the First Church in Boston, its historian says, p. 174, "Until now,
[1730], the church, i. e. the male communicants, were alone concerned in
fixing the ministers' salaries, and, in short, in making all pecuniary appro-
priations. But in this year, it was voted, that, whenever there is occasion
for mony to be raised, the congregation be notified to meet with the church
in the doing of it." — In the Second Church, we are told in its History, p.
33, "the conjunction of church and society in the management of their
temporal concerns, first took place in May 1760." And from Eliot's History
of the New North Church, p. 18, it appears, that the first meeting of the
congregation to concur with the church in the choice of a minister was
held July 16, 1738.

Note 63. Page 55.

This course of proceeding in settling a minister has been long and

generally practised in the Congregational churches of this State, and has
le sanction of our highest judicial authorities. Said the Hon. Judge
Sedgwick, (in the case of Avery vs. Tyringham, Mass. Term Reports, iii.
173,) "It is worthy of observation, that the mode of settling ministers has
continued in every respect the same, since the establishment of the Consti-
tution, as it was before. The church call the minister; the town [or
parish], at a le^al meeting, concur in the invitation, and vote the salary; at
the time appointed he is set apart to his oiEce, according to the forms of
that religious sect to which the parties belong." And dhief Justice Par-
sons, in the same case, remarked, "An adherence to these usages so mani-
festly tends to the preservation of good order, and harmony among the
people in the exercise of their religious privileges, it may be presumed
that a departure from them will never be admitted by any town [or parish]
but in cases of necessity." And Chief Justice Parker, in relation to this
subject, says, (xvi. 510.) "We agree with him," (Judge Parsons) "in esti-
mating highly these ancient usages, protected as the people are by the
constitutional provision, and in lioping that they may be observed in
future, as they nave been in past times."

120

Note 64. Page 59.

In Sept. 1728, it had been voted, ^* Yt such as come into full comunion
shou'd make a public profession of yr. repentance towards God, and faith
in or Ld. J. C; of yr. belief of the Scriptures as a perfect rule of faith
and life, and of yr. resolution, by the grace of God, to walk according to
ym." Records, i. 27. This profession was made by the candidate, either in
nis relation read by the pastor, or assented to as repeated by the pastor after
the reading of the relation.

The form of profession of faith adopted March 1769, was as follows, —
"You do solemnly profess your belief in the one only living and true God —
the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in whose name you have been baptized.
You acknowledge that, in virtue of this great privilege, you are indispensa-
bly bound to devote yourself to Him, to love, obey and serve him according
to his Gospel. And you do now declare, that, as far as you know your own
heart, it is your unfeigned desire and prevailing disposition so to do, agree-
able to the obligation you have owned. — You do further profess your belief
in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as a revelation of
God, which contains the words of eternal life, and is the only perfect rule
of faith and practice. — And, particularly, you profess to believe what God
has therein revealed concerning the fall of man, and the consequent de-
pravity of human nature; concerning the way of salvation through Jesus
Christ, his incarnation, his obedience and sufferings, his resurrection and
intercession; concerning the necessity of faith in his righteousness, as that
on the merit of which alone we may expect the forgiveness of our sins and
acceptance with God; and, lastly, concerning the necessity of the influences
of the Holy Spirit of God, to renew and sanctify us, and to quicken us to a
life of evangelical obedience."

This profession having been made, and the candidate admitted by a vote
of the brethren, the pastor proposed the following covenant.

"As you have now been admitted by this church to a full communion
with them in the special privileges of Christ's visible kingdom, You do sol-
emnly promise to walk with them in a due submission to and attendance
upon all the orders and ordinances of the Gospel; and that, through the help
01 the Spirit, you will endeavor to adorn the profession you have made with
a holy, blameless, fruitful conversation. — This you do promise?

"We do also, by the help of the same Spirit promise you," &c. precisely
as in the present covenant.

The present covenant, adopted Nov. 3, 1769, is as follows: —

"You DO NOW, in the presence of God, and before his holy angels, and this
assembly, solemnly profess to give up yourself, to God the Father, as your
chief ffood, — to the Son of God, as your Mediator, Head and Lord, relying
upon Him as the Prophet, Priest and King of you salvation, — to the Holy
Spirit of God, as your Saiictifier, Guide and Comforter, to be a temple for
Him to dwell in. — -You profess to §ive up yourself to this one God, who is
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, m an everlasting covenant, to love,
obey and serve Him forever.

"You also promise to walk with this Church of Christ, in a due submission
to, and attendance upon, all the orders and ordinances of the Gospel; and
that, by the help of the Spirit, you will adorn this your profession, by a
holy, blameless, fruitful lite and conversation. — This you do promised

"We also do, by the help of the same Spirit, promise ^ou, that we
will carry it towards you, as towards those brought up with us in the
fellowship of the saints. We will watch over you, not for your halting,
but for your edification. We will counsel, reprove, comfort, and exhort
you, as your circumstances, and our acquaintance therewith, shall require."

Note 65. Page 60.

The Unitarians, generally, not only permit, but urge, all the members of
their congregations of a sober and moral life to come to the communion, and
baptize an children for whom the administration of the ordinance is request-
ed. Yet, in the History of the Second Church, of two changes "of magni-

121

tude and importance" which aie specially noticed, one is that, "£ot nearly
fifty years the doctrines of Calvin nave not been heard within these walls,
but a milder, happier faith has won sinners to heaven." The other is, that,
"in the da^s of our fathers, the number of those who felt so far bound to
their religion as to observe its peculiar rites, was much larger thah amongst
ourselves." "While our places of public worship are as fully and seriously
attended, and the purposes of Christiamty in ordinary life as well accom-
plished, the table of tne Lord witnesses a thinner attendance, and more of
our children grow up without baptism." pp. ^,35.

Note QG. Page 61.

No point was more carefully guarded by the first generations than the
doctrinal belief and religious character of their ministers. Says Trumbull,
(Hist, of Conn. i. 313,) referring to the period which preceded the Sy-
nod of 1662, "The elders and churches were exceedingly strict, with respect
to those whom they ordained; examining them, not only in the three
learned languages, and doctrinal points of theology, with respect to cases
of conscience, and their ability to defend Christianity and its doctrines
against infidels and gainsayers, but with respect to their own experimental,
heart religion. All those who were to be ordained over any church, previ-
ously to their separation to the sacred office, satisfied the brotherhood of
their spiritual birth, and were admitted to their communion and fellowship.
None were ordained or installed over any church, until after they had been
admitted to its full communion and fellowship." — Audit appears that, of the
ancient churches in this city, the Old South was not the only one that con-
tinued the practices designed to obtain satisfaction as to the orthodoxy and
piety of those they called to be their pastors, long after 1662. The following
are extracts from Eliot's Historical Notices of the New North Church.
"May 28, 1739, Mr. Thomas Prentiss and Mr. John Burt were invited on
probation, three Sabbaths. On the 9th of July following, it was voted to
come to the choice of one of them as pastor. 'But, as the settlement of a
minister is an afifair wherein the honor of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and also the salvation of precious souls, are most nearly concerned, it is the
indispensable duty of everv church to introduce no man into the pastoral
office, but one who, with other desirable qualifications, is sound in the faith
of the Gospel, and of a good conversation in Jesus Christ. It is therefore
proposed, tnat the person upon whom the lot shall fall, be strictly examined
concerning his Christian principles, both doctrinal and disciplinary. And
also particularly to inquire into his Christian conversation; and that the
church do receive satisfaction in regard to the premises before they fully
confirm the choice.' Thomas Prentiss was then elected. The pastor, the
ruling elders, two deacons, and three brethren, were appointed to make the
aforesaid examination. The committee were instructed, 'Forasmuch as sev-
eral important doctrines of Christianity are vigorously opposed by Deists,
Socinians, Arians and Arminians, and tlie faith of professors is in ^reat dan-
ger of being perverted; the committee will particular Iv demand the most
explicit confession of his faith; and invite him to preacn one half of each
Sabbath, until said committee shall make a report.' After the conclusion of
the sacramental lecture on the 10th of August, the committee appointed to
examine Mr. Prentiss reported a confession of his faith, which he had put
into their hands, which was distinctly read; and the church voted unani-
mously that they were satisfied of his orthodoxy." He, however, declined
their call. On tlie 15th of December following, Mr. Rogers was chosen. "The
oeremony of the examination, as in regard to Mr. Prentiss, was to be observ-
ed, and the choice not to be final till the church should be satisfied as to his
soundness in the faith." Mr. Rogers did not accept. Jan. 11, 1742, Mr.
Andrew Eliot was called. "A committee, consisting of the pastor and offi-
<jera of the church, with three brethren, were chosen to examine the can-
didate, according to the established rule, who were directed not to receive

16

122

an affirmative answer until the brethren should be satisfied as to his senti-
ments and belief. Mr. Eliot sent his confession of faith on the 21st of Feb-
mary 1742, which was distinctly read to the church after the conmgation
was dismissed, and was accepted. On the 28th his acceptance of their invi-
tation was announced. He was ordained the 14th of April following."
And when Mr. John Eliot was called in 1779, he ^'presented a dismission
and recommendation from the church in Dedham,ana was admitted a mem-
ber of the New North; also a confession of his faith, which was accepted."
pp. 17, 18, 19, 20, 32.

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